What About Now
by CapAleran2
Summary: [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [TwoPlot Convergence/Crime/Drama/Romance]
1. The List

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning. All while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemons]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **WHAT ABOUT NOW**

 _A Gajevy Fanfiction_

By CapAleran2

 _ **This story starts with the next chapter.**_

Here is the extensive list of songs that I listened to while I wrote (I still am at the moment) this fanfiction. They all fit perfectly within it and for characters and scenes, in my opinion (some are interpreted, however). Ultimately it's up to you which songs fit the chapters. I do not own any of these, all rights are to the artists. I could very well add more. _Probably_ _will._ And definitely have.

Please give a listen to these. Give the artists a chance! Music moves the story along and it amplifies the intended emotion, especially the original works of _Audiomachine_ and the like.

* * *

 **This is now an updated soundtrack****

 **"WHAT ABOUT NOW SOUNDTRACK"**

| Beneath The Starry Night - David Tolk

| We Have A Battleship - Steve Jablonsky

| Wide Open Sky - Audiomachine

| Legacy Of The Lost - Audiomachine

| The Art Of War - Steve Jablonsky

| The Legend Of 1910 - Audiomachine

| Full Sail - Demented Sound Mafia

| World Without End - Brand X Music

| Thug Fight (feat. Tom Morello) - Steve Jablonsky

| Larger Than Life - Future World Music

| Shatter Me - Lindsey Stirling

| When The Time Comes - Audiomachine

* * *

 _ **Alternate Soundtrack**_

| What About Now - Lonestar

| Parachute - Chris Stapleton

| One More Day - Diamond Rio

| Something To Be Proud Of - Montgomery Gentry

| Voices - Chris Young

| I Don't Dance - Lee Brice

| Fall Into Me - Emerson Drive

| Wrapped Up In You - Garth

| Better Life - Keith Urban

| Right Where I Need To Be - Gary Allen

| Would You Go With Me - Josh Turner

| With Me - Lonestar

| How Country Feels - Randy Houser

| Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen

| Praying For Daylight - Rascal Flatts

| Who I Am With You - Chris Young

| Cruise - Florida Georgia Line

| Night Train - Jason Aldean

| I Hold On - Dierks Bentley

| Next To You, Next To Me - Shenandoah

| Brand New Man - Brooks & Dunn

| Homeboy - Eric Church

| I'm From The Country - Tracy Byrd

| A Night To Remember - Joe Diffie

| Think Of You - Chris Young (with Cassadee Pope)

| Kiss This - Aaron Tippin

| It's A Little Too Late - Mark Chesnutt

| Mama's Broken Heart - Miranda Lambert

| Think A Little Less - Michael Ray

| Standing Outside The Fire - Garth Brooks

| Hard To Love - Lee Brice

| A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evans

| Wagon Wheel - Darius Rucker

| Sirens - Kelsea Ballerini

| What Was I Thinking - Dierks Bentley

| 5-1-5-0 - Dierks Bentley

| Leap Of Faith - Big & Rich

| Dirty Laundry - Carrie Underwood

| Automatic - Miranda Lambert

| I Should Be Sleeping - Emerson Drive

| If I Die Young - The Band Perry

| Wild Horses - Garth Brooks

| Middle Of a Memory - Cole Swindell

| See You Again - Carrie Underwood

| Don't Ya - Brett Eldredge

| Riser - Dierks Bentley

| She Won't Be Lonely Long - Clay Walker

| Like The Rain - Clint Black

| Creepin' - Eric Church

| Carrying Your Love With Me - George Strait

| Somewhere Other Than The Night - Garth Brooks

| She's Not The Cheating Kind - Brooks & Dunn

| Little Red Rodeo - Collin Raye

| Unbelievable - Diamond Rio

| Fly Over States - Jason Aldean

| Beat Of The Music - Brett Eldredge

| Days Go By - Keith Urban

| Who I Am - Jessica Andrews

| Independence Day - Martina McBride

| Springsteen - Eric Church

| Keeper Of The Stars - Tracy Byrd

| Bigger Than The Beatles - Joe Diffie

| That Summer - Garth Brooks

| I'm Already There - Lonestar

| Rock My World (Little Country Girl) - Brooks & Dunn

| Every Light In The House - Trace Adkins

| Wild West Show - Big & Rich

| The Dance - Garth Brooks

| She Don't Know She's Beautiful - Sammy Kershaw

| Find Out Who Your Friends Are - Tracy Lawrence

| You're My Better Half - Keith Urban

| Where The Blacktop Ends - Keith Urban

| Man To Man - Gary Allen

| She's Country - Jason Aldean

| Tell Her - Lonestar

| Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean (with Kelly Clarkson)

| Amazed - Lonestar

| If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks


	2. Fate

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning. All while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemons]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **What About Now**

 _A Gajevy Fanfiction_

By CapAleran2

 **CHAPTER 1 - By Fate**

"You ever gonna stop chewin'? That stuff rots your teeth, ya know." Gajeel voiced nonchalantly from behind the wheel, glancing up at the rear view mirror.

Beside him, his patrol partner scoffed while he flicked his Copenhagen can in the air. "How about you shut up. You're as bad as my mother."

The corners of Gajeel's lips turned up and he said, "Hey, I'm sure she appreciates the effort."

He turned the Dodge Charger into a gas station lot and threw the gear into park by an open pump near the front. Touching his belt before swinging the metal door shut, Gajeel walked inside the building to prepay for a fill up. In line behind a woman with a baby, he casually glanced out at the parking lot.

Crawford was a small town, only three stop lights. Nothing major ever went down within the county. Every day was fairly slow except for the routine traffic stops, occasional accident, and out of towners. There was one grocery business, an impressive library, a handful of banks and service stations, and a few restaurants. In the center of the town was a large courthouse. Gajeel had always considered peaceful Crawford his home and was content to live there for the rest of his life.

A brown Buick turned into the lot, taking up a space at the furthest pump. Gajeel stared. It looked as though the driver was arguing with his young passenger. He checked his watch. 3:51pm. The local school had been let out for almost forty-five minutes.

He paid with a card and then made his way back to his patrol vehicle and began to fill the car's tank. The radio on his black uniformed shoulder crackled to life.

A thumb pressed the button on the side and he turned his head to speak into it. "Go ahead."

" _What's your ten?_ "

"10-42."

Laxus peered towards the driver's side from the passenger seat. "What about break?"

" _Negative. Dispatch for Signal 54A._ " The voice rattled off a destination.

Gajeel nodded and pressed his thumb to the radio. "10-4. Officer enroute."

He let the tank fill, hung up the pump and slid into the car, pulling his sunglasses from his forehead down to his eyes. "Sorry, break has to wait."

"Apparently..." Laxus grumbled, his bottom lip fattened by the dip now wedged in.

They traveled towards the destination on a state road, the address typed up on the car's computer. It led them to a long open drive connected to a small ranch house. There were two barns behind the brick house and a shed by the garage. A fence extended along one side of the gravel drive. Beside the house sat a red Cavalier.

"I've driven past this place before, but the owner has a Chevy pickup." Gajeel commented as he turned off the road into the gravel. Guiding cautiously down the drive, his eyes narrowed.

"Who called it in?" Laxus asked.

"The house across the road."

The patrol car parked several yards from the red vehicle and Gajeel thumbed his radio. "Dispatch, Redfox on scene for Signal 54A."

" _10-4._ "

Gajeel turned to his partner, pointing to their patrol vehicle. "Watch the car."

He looked around the property as he walked forward, but aside from the Cavalier, saw no evidence of anyone else there. It could just be abandoned, though usually if it was a Signal 1A, the persons would have left it on the side of the road and called for assistance, even AAA. Not turn into someone's home just to leave.

The pickup that was usually seen here was gone and Gajeel knew not to knock on the ranch house's door. Instead, he glanced towards the offending vehicle.

Careful not to touch anything but the back bumper, he peered into the driver's side window. The keys were gone and a water bottle was in the cup holder. An IPod was still connected to a cable on the middle console. An orange backpack and a laundry basket full of folded clothes were on the back seats.

Gajeel frowned.

A male would not have pink clothing. Nor would the clothing be folded.

He turned towards the patrol car and made a face before looking back in the window. Laxus raised his sunglasses to the top of his head and opened the car door.

"Hey! What's going on?" A voice called out.

Gajeel looked up in the direction of the barns. A young woman marched towards them, dressed in jean shorts and a T-shirt. Her blue hair was pulled back into a messy tail and wisps of loose hair flew around her face. She stared at the car and then up at the officers.

"Is this your vehicle, miss?" Gajeel asked, pointing to the obvious.

"Yes, why?" She brushed stray hairs from her face. Confusion was clear in her tone.

"We received a call about a suspicious automobile. Do you have your registration?"

The woman let out a huff and crossed her arms. "Is this David's way of welcoming people to his home? Having the cops called on them? I just drove across the state to work with his horse. He's my cousin, I'm staying with him for the time I'm here."

Laxus smiled and slowly shook his head, turning a one-eighty back to the Charger. He pulled his sunglasses back down and calmly radioed in the situation.

"That's nice of you, but do you have your registration and proof of insurance? Please." Gajeel added, his lips turning up into a coaxing grin. He mirrored her, crossing his muscled arms over his chest as he waited.

"Yea sure." The young woman promptly opened her car door and leaned in to reach the glove box.

Gajeel tried to keep his eyes on the car and not on her jean shorts. They traveled down to her exposed legs and further to her worn out Ariat boots. She produced the papers, handing them over and stood in place while he left to check the information on the computer.

Once sitting in the driver's seat to begin running the plate, Laxus took the papers, his eyes scanning over the print. "Well now, isn't that nice."

"What is?" Gajeel gave a monotone reply as he worked. He ignored his partner's stare.

"She's a single, twenty-three year old, out of towner. And good lookin'." He said with a playful tone and carefully spit into a pop bottle. The black tobacco spittle slid down the inside to collect on the bottom.

"How do you know she's single? She could just be independent."

"Because it says her maiden name is McGarden. And her registration and license say McGarden. Levy McGarden. See, right there." Laxus said and pointed to the name, bringing it close to Gajeel's face.

"Alright, I got it..." Gajeel growled. He stared at her from behind his sunglasses.

Levy sat on the hood of her car with her hands under her legs. She looked young. And Laxus wasn't wrong when he was she was good looking. Her blue hair was in between straight and curly at the same time, and it curled around her face, bringing attention to her large, brown eyes.

Gajeel pulled his gaze away from her and gathered up her papers. He swung out of the seat and Laxus called to him, "Go get 'em…"

"Stay." Gajeel firmly stated, his finger pointing at his partner. He ignored the blond man's attempt to fluster him.

He approached Levy and she slid from the hood. She was short; her head came up to his chest on his six-foot frame, he noted. He casually handed back her belongings and laid a hand on his gun belt. "I'm sorry about the interruption, Miss."

"It's ok." Levy said, then murmured softly to herself, "I'm just going to get him back..."

"Your cousin owns the coffee shop in town, right?" Gajeel suddenly asked, taking Levy by surprise.

"Um. Yea, Dave's Cafe." She replied, using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Good place." Gajeel said with a small grin. He began to turn around. "You have a nice day."

Levy gave a fleeting flash of white teeth. "You too."

He glanced over his shoulder before reaching the Charger, seeing her still standing there and watching. Laxus rolled the window down and let his hand lay on the open space, his other hand holding the radio on his shoulder.

Gajeel started the car and threw it in reverse. In the rear view, he saw her walking back to the fence to give attention to the horse grazing near it. As she rubbed the horse's face, he saw that she watched the Crawford County patrol car brake at the top of the drive.

The Charger pulled out of the gravel, heading north towards town. A tan, beat up truck flew around the corner going south, oblivious to the patrol car and exceeding the forty mile per hour speed limit by a large margin.

"Here we go." Laxus said, flipping on the red and blue lights, the siren a few seconds later.

He held onto the handle above the window as Gajeel checked the road and maneuvered into a U-turn. The Charger immediately gave chase, bounding into similar speed, and Laxus called in the situation.

"Dispatch, we have a 10-80, southbound on US Ten. Tan Ford pickup. He's way over."

Gajeel chuckled, showing teeth as he stomped the accelerator. "So much for a lunch break."

* * *

Levy drove down the street, watching for the business' drive. In the small town strip, many people were out enjoying the sunshine or running errands. Several vehicles were parked in the wide parking lot directly in front of the cafe. Before she could open her door, a ringtone burst to life and the vibration caused the phone to buzz against the cup holder.

One look at the bright screen told her not to answer. That was one person she'd rather not talk to. Her stomach seemed to drop to her driver's seat and she swallowed, pushing the phone's lock button. The screen went black and she stuffed it into her back pocket. The set of keys dug into her palm as she walked towards her cousin's shop, squeezing the keys to release a bout of nervousness.

Levy looked around. There were no customers in line or seated in the small dining area and no one was behind the counter. "Hey David!" She called and leaned against the wooden counter, looking up at the menu on the back wall.

A blond haired man appeared in the doorway that led to the back rooms, wiping his hands with a towel. He smiled when he saw her.

"What do _you_ want?" He asked playfully and tossed the towel on the counter.

"Nice, David. Real nice." Levy replied, trying to hide her grin.

"What?"

"You know what. Why did you send them to the house?"

David, now genuinely confused, crossed his arms over his green apron. "What? What happened?"

Levy frowned, pausing. "You didn't send two officers on me?"

"No, I've been here all day. Why would the police go out to my house?" He asked. He grabbed a glass and filled it with iced tea from a pitcher, then gave it to her.

Levy reached for it and murmured. "I don't know. They just came out to check on my car, since I'm from out of town I guess. It was nothing." She sipped from the glass.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. When did you get in?"

"A few hours ago. That gelding is a handsome boy." There was a touch of admiration in her voice as she commented on her cousin's new horse.

"Yea, he's a looker, but still shies away. I'm thinking the farm is still an adjustment for him." David replied casually.

A few customers walked in and sat down at a table. David went to wait on them, leaving Levy alone at the counter. She watched him work, taking their drink orders and striding past the front counter to fulfill their requests. A bell on the door rang, signaling another group of people walked into the cafe, followed by another few people.

The new customers sat down and waited as David finished with the beverages.

Levy noticed there were more people than David could comfortably manage on his own and immediately went behind the counter, grabbing an apron from beneath the register. However hard it was to smile around strangers now, she put one on and headed towards a table.

Gajeel lifted his sunglasses onto the top of his head as he walked through the doorway, holding the door open for Laxus. Quickly surveying the room, he turned his attention to the table before him. Once seated, he began to check his phone; he had had to leave two phone calls to voicemail and knew from the constant buzzing that he would have a few text messages to go through.

"You get any numbers in the last few days?" Laxus asked, gesturing to the phone with his eyes as he unfolded the menu on the tabletop.

"Nope." Gajeel curtly replied, still looking through his phone.

"You actively looking for numbers at least?"

"Laxus, I don't need it." Gajeel said with a huff. The first few times his badgering was amusing, but now after a few weeks it was becoming an annoyance. Certainly coming from him.

Laxus gave him a look and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "Come on. You mope when you're off duty, don't deny it. You don't come with me when I go to the range or the gym like you used to. I know you man. You need to get on."

He was right, though Gajeel refused to acknowledge that fact. Laxus didn't know what it was like to walk around with it on his shoulders. Few men did. And even of those few, most didn't handle it as well as Gajeel. He had his days, but for the most part, he felt like he was finally on the mend.

He saw Dave walking to them and turned to Laxus. "Just shut it, ok?"

Laxus raised his hand slightly above the table in a surrender motion and turned to the waiter, his lips sliding off his teeth in a smile.

"Hey Dave. How's business goin' for ya?"

"Hello officers. With you two here now, it's great. Can I get you the usual?" Dave asked lightly, his pen ready in his hand.

Laxus leaned back in his chair. "Yes sir. And a beer."

Dave wrote it down, cocking an eyebrow as he looked down.

"He's the one driving today." Laxus pointed to Gajeel, who was still looking at his phone.

"Right. And for you?" Dave asked Gajeel patiently.

"Uh, I'll have what he's having. And Mountain Dew."

Dave looked curiously down at Gajeel, noting his unusual tendencies before leaving them with their orders.

Laxus kicked him under the table and in the process, bumped the table with his leg. The surface popped up and the silverware on it bounced. Unprepared for the action, Gajeel jerked, his thumb pressing send on an unfinished text message. "The hell?" He harshly voiced, keeping his voice lowered inside the business.

"Even Dave knows something's up. Get off your damn phone. It ain't like you got anyone pretty to talk to."

Gajeel glared at him, a curse on his tongue. He knew his partner was right, though his pride wouldn't let him put his phone away just yet. "Ok."

He finished his text message and out of spite, he then checked his email, though he knew there'd be nothing of importance other than the work schedule he had already received. Looking up, he saw Laxus watching the TV in the corner. He turned in his seat to see what was airing. A woman and a man on the screen were arguing over who knew what, as the volume was on mute.

"You into soap operas now?" Gajeel asked as a laugh struggled to break from his mouth.

"Who isn't these days." Laxus replied casually, leaning back with his arm thrown over the top of the chair beside him. "It's where I've gotten some of my lines."

"You? Watch day time soaps? I'd have never pegged you."

"I know what you're thinkin'. 'Sissy'. Well I'm not. I just happen to have a few sisters who watch it." Laxus said, his eyes darting to the screen.

Gajeel turned around to look at the TV again. The couple were now standing close and as the man grabbed the woman's arm, he spoke to her. She responded and then he leaned in, ducking his head to make a move.

Gajeel's stomach turned then and he straightened in his chair, his eyes coming to the place mat in front of him. It seemed like it hadn't been that long since, but the years hadn't taken the sting away. He resisted looking through his phone, which had become a crutch in the last years in awkward situations. Instead he opted to look out the large front windows.

The view outside was partially blocked by the row of cars right outside on the other side of the walkway. Behind the cars, the street was the buffer to the other side where the huge courthouse loomed. Green grass surrounded the stone building and a fountain spouted water on the corner by the intersection. He breathed in the sight, using it as a distraction.

His thoughts went back to the red car and its owner. He had been surprised to find it belong to such a pretty thing, not at all expecting that. But then that led to him thinking of the past few years. _Well shit. Am I ever going to move past that?_

"It gets better." Laxus said, looking at him. He seemed to understand where Gajeel was in his mind.

Not saying anything, he caved and checked his phone.

The waiter returned with their drinks and set them down on the table. Laxus narrowed his eyes as he caught a glimpse of one of the employees behind the counter. He didn't get a good look at her face, but her hair seemed familiar. As she moved out of his sight, he shrugged it off and sipped his beer.

Successfully pushing thoughts out of his mind, Gajeel took a swig of his soda. He felt better now. He had battled this for long enough. There was no sense in pining after something he couldn't have, nor will ever have again. He looked at his partner.

"What's your schedule look like?"

"Well next week I'm with Fernandez on the evening shift. Then I'm on mornings with Ewing, though I'm thinking I may switch with someone for nights. Somethin' about Ewing that pisses me off."

Gajeel smirked. "I think a lot of 'em feel that way. I don't mind her, but I get it."

"It ain't good. She'll talk your ear off about stupid shit. Last time it was about the insane prices of dog food." He made a choking sound and closed his eyes.

Knowing how that was, Gajeel nodded with a grin. There were some officers they got along with and some they tolerated. Driving around in a car for eight to twelve hours with someone you only barely tolerated was like hell. At least they don't have to live with them like the fire department.

A different employee came up with a round tray, their orders atop it. They stopped their conversation and moved their beverages. Laxus's smirk was present and Gajeel looked to see what it was about.

The girl held a shocked look on her face, almost dropping the tray. She stumbled over her words as her eyes settled on the two men. "S-sorry. I wasn't expecting you. Here, err… Now."

Gajeel gaped at the girl from the farm, his sunglasses falling from his forehead onto his nose. He quickly pulled them off and set them next to his drink. His mind worked flawlessly, not skipping a second and smiled. "Didn't I say we came here often?"

A blush could be seen on her face as she placed the baskets of food on the table in front of them. "Not in those words, exactly." She dug in the apron pocket for extra napkins, setting them down.

Gajeel shook his head once and noticed Laxus's smirk still stamped on his face, his arms now crossed.

"You working here now?" He asked.

"I wasn't going to, but I thought I'd help since I stopped in."

Gajeel didn't miss the way she glanced to him, swallowing as she nervously tucked the tray under her arm.

"So does that mean you're stayin' in town for a while?" Laxus was asking. A smirk was plastered there.

"I-I guess so. I'm here indefinitely." She smiled, backing up a few steps. "Uh, if you need anything else, just call."

When she left, Laxus couldn't wipe the expression from his mug. "Now that was a pleasant surprise. She's into you man."

Gajeel took a bite of his burger, nonchalantly speaking with his mouth full. "Whatever. She was just doing her job."

"…I don't know. There was a lot of nervousness thrown your way."

He chewed, still looking at Laxus. Women gave him interested glances all the time, and he'd always written it off, remembering that most women loved a 'man in uniform'. He wasn't interested in a one-time deal simply because of his occupation. What he had had before was love; he wasn't about to go back on his standards. If this Levy girl was interested, he hadn't picked up on it.

The thought occurred to him that maybe he hadn't picked up on it because she wasn't looking for that kind of one-time deal either?

He took a sip of his drink, not paying attention to what Laxus was saying. Maybe it was just him trying to lift his spirit and make him feel better. Most of the time he took him seriously, but when it came to relationship issues, he'd usually wave his suggestions away. Should he wave this one off, even though he didn't see what his partner did?

A few minutes later, the woman who occupied his thoughts came up to them again. "Is everything alright?"

Gajeel stirred from his thoughts as he shoved three fries into his mouth. "Hmm?"

"The _food_ is great. As always." Laxus gave his signature smile.

Levy's lips turned up into a smile and for the first time today, Gajeel saw her give a genuinely beautiful smile. There he was stuffing his face, and couldn't even answer with all the food in his mouth. He mentally kicked himself.

"Good. I'll just leave this here. Not trying to get rid of ya though." She set their check on the table in between them. She glanced to Gajeel before she left, her eyes meeting his for a fleeting second. It was enough to make him cough, almost choking.

"Damn. You only see that in movies." Laxus commented happily with a light laugh, picking up the ticket.

Gajeel wiped his mouth with the napkin in his hand. "There was nothing to see. You're making shit up."

Laxus smirked. "Judging by your reaction just now, you know I'm right."

Gajeel turned around. She was at the register, cashing a customer out. When she turned to the counter, she looked up, her eyes finding that he was staring at her. Quickly turning away, she entered the back room, fleeing the scene.

Maybe.

"Go up there like you've got balls and talk to her. I'll sit right here. I ain't leavin', you got the keys."

Gajeel was half tempted to do just that. It was clear that she was interested, even without saying anything. But he shook his head. "Nah. If she's here next time."

Shrugging, Laxus downed the last of his beer. He shoved the ticket in his direction. "Then you're buyin'."

Grumbling to himself, Gajeel reluctantly pulled out his wallet and shelled out the money. He left a five and a few ones on the table for the tip. His partner raised his brow, but didn't say anything. There was another employee at the front and he went up to pay. Risking a glance, the back room entrance was empty. _Oh well._

Laxus bumped his arm as they walked out of the cafe, laughing as he asked, "Hey, can I drive?"

"Ha ha." Gajeel pushed him away and they climbed in the car.

The sun was fading behind the horizon, the yellow rays turning orange and red. They had a few more hours until they headed back to the station and clocked out, but Gajeel knew his night would be better than the previous week.

Inside the establishment they had just left, Levy peeked out from behind the back entrance. The table was empty now, and she made her way to clear it and collect the tip. Her eyes scanned the surface and she expertly cleaned the area as if she'd been a full time employee. As she made her way back to the main counter, she saw the Charger back out of the parking space and take off. The corners of her lips slowly turned up and she bit her bottom lip.


	3. Surprise

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning. All while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemons]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **AN** : The past is the italicized text. The present is normal text. If you've ready **Fighting Redfox** , then you know the set up.

 **IMPORTANT** \- Before you disown me and freak the eff out over Gajeel's history, just remember: it's in the _past_. The same for Levy's history. With hers though, there is a _trigger warning._ Just a heads up. Everything will make sense in the end.

Some inspiration for the police chapters: End Of Watch (2012). It's intense, a lot of language. But it's got some points. The banter between them reminds me of how Gajeel and Laxus could be as officers haha.

 **CHAPTER 2 - By Surprise**

 ** _Two Years Before_**

 _The white patrol vehicle rolled to a stop at one of the only traffic lights in town. Gajeel sat in the passenger seat, lazily gazing out the window with his shades covering his eyes. The bright sunlight bounced off the hood, reflecting it into the car. It was unusually cool for September. The air was dry, as it hadn't rained in a few weeks. There were browning patches of grass surrounding the town's stone, castle-like courthouse._

" _It's supposed to rain today." He commented. The light above turned green._

 _Laxus snorted as he guided the department vehicle through the intersection. "That's a load of bullshit. That's the fourth time in weeks it's "supposed" to rain."_

 _Gajeel continued his attention out the window. Of course he knew it probably wouldn't. The whole town was on the verge of suffering from lack of water. The community garden was looking rather puny and the farmers always complained about how their crops were faring. "Still. The dry spell can't last forever."_

" _It already feels like it's been that long." Laxus replied, giving his head a slight shake._

 _He turned the car onto another street. The residential west side neighborhood was a relatively quiet one. Small houses lined the narrow streets. Cars dotted the curb with the occasional trash cans. They drove up on some kids playing in the road, one of them holding a football._

 _Gajeel waved to them as they passed. The small group watched the car then returned to their game. The two men rode in silence for a few blocks until Laxus glanced at him through his own sunglasses._

" _Speaking of kids, when-" Laxus began slowly._

" _Stop right there. Don't say it." Gajeel countered, cutting the blond off with a raise of his hand._

" _What? You don't even know what I was gonna say."_

 _Gajeel rolled his eyes, still looking out the window. "Yes I do. Don't ask."_

 _The blond grinned. "When are you and Katherine gonna start a family of your own?"_

" _It's none of your business, asshole." Gajeel snapped out with a frown. His thoughts wandered to his wife of three years. Katherine was the same age as he; a smoking hot twenty three year old with a promising career. Just as he was well into establishing his own, she was just into her year of student teaching at the local elementary school._

" _It's just a simple question. No need to get your panties in a wad." Laxus commented with a smirk._

 _Gajeel's head snapped to his partner. "You ask every damn day."_

" _I'm just interested is all."_

" _No._ You're _not. Your wife is obsessed and wants to know when we'll have one that way you will. I'm not ready for it." Gajeel turned away to stare out the windshield. "Why don't you make one for yourself."_

" _Nah, I'm good. Mira babysits our two neighbor kids all day. I can barely tolerate them as it is when I've worked all day. Adding our own to the mix would drive me to the deep end." He said with a shake of his head. His eyes brightened when he said, "It is fun to practice though."_

 _Mira loved children and volunteered to watch the toddlers while their parents worked. Every time Laxus went home after his shifts, they would be there. Eating his food. Watching his tv. Taking his wife's attention. Or wanting to show him things when all he wanted to do was eat dinner and go to bed._

" _Then you know what I mean. Katherine's got her class and I'm out here with you most days. A baby right now would be too hard. But she says she could manage if it comes down to it. I don't know."_

 _Laxus nodded. He casually gripped the wheel with one hand, letting his other hang out the open window. "I get it. You'll want it eventually though."_

 _He rolled his eyes. "Yea, sure."_

 _He hadn't really thought about the topic since Katherine shrugged it off. It has been perfectly fine with him that they wait. They had only been married for a short time. They were just beginning their lives together and were barely settled into the house they finally were able to move into from their small apartment. They had all the time in the world, and waiting for children was the smartest decision._

 _His phone buzzed at his side. He dug it out of his pocket to answer the familiar tone without hesitation. "Hey."_

" _Hey, what are you up to?" Katherine's voice was upbeat. She sounded eager._

" _Still on patrol. Everything ok?" He asked cautiously, ignoring Laxus' kissy face he started making when he realized who was on the other end. Gajeel simply held up his free hand's middle finger, causing Laxus to grab it and try to bend it back down while he continued to drive._

" _Yea, everything is fine sweetie. I got home a few minutes ago. The students are tiring! How much longer until you're off?" Her voice changed into a purr._

 _In the background he heard plastic bags rattling. His eyes glanced to check the dashboard clock. "I've got another few hours. Why?"_

 _There was a quick pause. "There's no rush. Take your time"_

 _The woman's hesitation was noticed. And it bit at him. "Is something wrong?"_

" _No. Nothing's wrong. I just thought I'd surprise you." There was a tone in her voice he couldn't place._

" _Katherine… You know how I hate surprises." His voice grumbled with annoyance. For all he knew, it could have been just the fact that she finally had time to buy groceries. His wife never understood how to use a surprise effectively. He hated them, both large and small._

 _Katherine spoke and he could catch the smile in her tone. "Oh, come on, Gajeel. You may like this one."_

" _Katherine…" he drawled again with a sigh, closing his eyes. He rested his free arm on the open window. "Just tell me what it is."_

" _Nope. I guess you'll find out when you get home. I'll see you soon." She said her giggly goodbye and abruptly ended the call, leaving Gajeel to stew and fret over her words. He stared at the screen._

 _At Laxus' confused expression, Gajeel shook his head and putting the device back in his pocket. "I don't know what all that was."_

" _Obviously it was something." Laxus said with a shrug._

" _It's always something with her. You know how she is. She can get overly excited and worked up over nothing."_

 _The radio on the console between them then crackled to life. The female dispatcher's calm and collected voice was heard. "_ All available units, 10-31 at NW 3rd…"

 _Her voice continued to rattle off information pertaining to the crime in progress. Gajeel flipped on the lights while Laxus turned the car down a street that connected to a main road. He spoke into the radio. "Dispatch, unit four is responding. We're not that far now."_

 _As soon as they made it where the streets converged, Laxus let the siren loose. A shrill tone rang out to signal other drivers in the area. Vehicles stopped to let them pass as they rapidly gained speed down the main roadway._

"Unit be advised, suspect is male, white t-shirt, jeans, last seen headed southbound on 2nd."

 _Gajeel kept sharp eyes out for the fleeing suspect of the burglary. He mentally ran through the description given over and over, his red orbs intent on locating him._

 _Their patrol vehicle flew down the blacktop, nearing the location of the robbery. Upon the flash of the street sign, Gajeel spat out, "Turn right."_

 _Laxus quickly turned and guided the car down a side street. He focused on avoiding possible civilians out and about on the road, letting his partner search. He killed the sirens as he turned down another street, though he still sped dangerously through a residential area. As he slowed at a four way stop, Gajeel spied a brief glimpse of the perpetrator running for a chain link fence._

 _He jumped out of the car, pulling out his 9mm Glock from its holster at his hip and aimed it. The suspect vaulted over the barrier and continued to run. With the radio at his shoulder, he called in his status as he ran. "Redfox in pursuit on foot, he's hoppin' backyard fences."_

"Copy, officer in pursuit. Be advised, subject may have a 10-32."

" _Great.." Gajeel muttered breathlessly. The suspect could be armed with a gun or knife. It would certainly make for an interesting take down if so._

 _He saw the perp entering into an alley from between two garages and sprinted as fast as he could down the narrow row to catch up. His palms were sweating and he could feel it beginning to form on his lower back from the effort it took to catch up to the dipshit in front of him._

 _The suspect faltered, skidding in some loose gravel when he attempted to pivot into another yard. He glanced over his shoulder with lost momentum only to see and feel Gajeel's rock hard body slam into him and he fell face first onto the hard ground._

 _Gajeel threw his body weight into it. The man went down with a slide, scuffing up his arms on the gravel in the process. Quickly patting down his clothing to check for weapons, Gajeel found none and reached behind to produce handcuffs from his belt pouch. He harshly tugged the perp's arms behind his back._

" _Man, this is fucked up! I didn't do nothing!" The man cried out facing the pavement._

 _Gajeel leaned half on the pavement, half on the prisoner in custody. He tightened the metal cuff around his wrist and immediately grabbed his other to do the same. "Why you running then?"_

" _I was bein' chased by a dog. I swear! And you started chasin' me so I ran!"_

" _Yea, I ain't stupid. Just shut up. You have the right to remain silent…" Gajeel began with confidence. His knee pressed hard into the burglar's lower back. The man squirmed as if trying to test his bonds to attempt to escape. He interrupted Gajeel's recitation of the Miranda rights._

" _Stop fighting, bro, it's over." Gajeel said and stood up him upright. He let out a rough breath, still winded from the intense exercise, then thumbed the radio on the shoulder. "10-15. We're bringing him in."_

"10-4."

 _With a firm hand on the prisoner's arm, Gajeel led him down the alley back towards the car. Laxus soon appeared and braked for them on the street. He waited patiently while his partner stuffed their newly acquired passenger into the back of the car. The man sat none too quietly behind the grated barrier, cursing the two in the front seats._

" _You good?" Laxus inquired, an eyebrow raised when he saw Gajeel take another deep breath to control his breathing. The black haired officer nodded and clicked the seat belt in._

" _Yea, let's go."_

 _They arrived at the station, dragging in the burglary suspect in with them through the glass doors. Officers in black swarmed the building, each doing their tasks required of them. Some helped civilians at one of the desks, others escorted booked cellblock inhabitants to and fro. Gajeel immediately turned with the perp and headed for the booking area while Laxus went to fill out a form for paperwork._

 _Officer Fernandez saw them from the front counter and nodded to Gajeel as he neared. "Heard it over the scanner. Nice catch."_

" _Thanks. Just doin' my job." He replied in his baritone._

 _The dark haired officer chuckled as he shook his head. He sarcastically commented loud enough for him to hear him over the growing din. "Boy, I wish I could do my job that well."_

 _Gajeel let out a rough snort, then grinned. He kept the cuffed suspect ahead of him. "Yea? You jealous, Ferdinand?"_

" _Nah, I don't have to tell the whole town how big my dick is." He spoke casually, the intention of calling the other out with his words was not lost on Gajeel._

" _Ha ha." He drawled, keeping his eyes on the perp before him. His red eyes quickly shot to Fernandez. "Come on Jelly, you mean if you've got one worth mentioning."_

 _The officers around snickered at Gajeel's nickname for Jellal. He glanced around the immediate area, conscious of the fact that Gajeel successfully turned the joke around on him. He frowned and snapped, "Shut up and go back to work!"_

 _Gajeel opened one side of the double doors and entered through, leading the cuffed man up to the counter. "Got another for ya."_

 _He handed him off to the officers in charge of booking and hung around, knowing his partner would show up soon with the rest. A few minutes of watching the news on the television mounted in one corner of the room, Laxus strode casually through the door with the start of the paperwork in his hands. He handed it to the same booking officer, who took it and opened the front cover. "Here's the file. He's got a prior."_

 _Gajeel waited by the entrance, hooking his fingers into his belt. They still had at least an hour more to go before their shift was over. His thoughts wandered to his wife. She had been acting a little strange the past few weeks. But then again, school year had started and she was still getting used to the schedule change it prompted._

 _It still irked him when she hinted at surprises and withheld any other information about them. He liked stability. One thing about their jobs that he was there were set hours. Even though his shifts changed on a weekly basis, they were still between eight and ten hour watches. It meant he could spend time with Katherine if he was home at night. She had always been both impressed and worried with his career._

 _Especially the one time he was caught in a shootout. She had heard it over the scanner at their home, repeatedly calling him to make sure he was ok. He hadn't known that his cell phone had shut off. A round had grazed his arm and he had been one of two injured that day. She freaked out, of course thinking the worst. That night she made sure every other part of him was fine. He had had to hold back in his love making to keep his stitches from ripping._

 _He sighed. No matter what she said or did in her break down modes, he still loved her. She was everything to him._

 _The sun was hovering above the horizon when he walked through the front door. Gajeel caught a wiff of something cooking on the stove. He made his way through a clean living room to find Katherine in standing in the kitchen by a boiling cooking pot in shorts and one of his t shirts, humming and reading the back of a food package._

 _Aware of his presence, she looked up at him and smiled. "Hey."_

 _His boots clacked on the wood floor as he walked up to the stove. He peered into it, careful to keep his face out of the steam. "What is that?"_

" _It's one of these box dinners. I just picked it up today, I don't know how it's gonna turn out." She indicated to the box with a pink painted fingernail._

" _Hmm. As long as it does it's job, I don't care." He grunted, turning around to grab a glass from the cabinet above the microwave. He loved food and he wasn't above trying new things. Katherine liked to cook homemade meals, though sometimes -such as now- she let herself succumb to shortcuts._

 _She let him kiss her on the temple. "I was going to make lasagna, but I'm not feeling it tonight."_

 _Gajeel looked at her and frowned while he filled his glass with water from the dispenser. "I like lasagna."_

 _Stifling a yawn, Katherine nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. I just don't feel the greatest."_

" _What's wrong?" He took a sip from the glass._

 _Her still-glossed lips struggled to keep slack, but a small smile appeared on them. She tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, but pursed her lips._

 _At her actions, he narrowed his eyes, setting the glass on the counter to cross his arms over his black uniformed chest. "Look, just spill whatever it is. And what's this surprise you had to call me about?"_

 _Taking a deep breath, Katherine shifted in place to face him. She placed a hand on her stomach. "I know it's not really want you wanted, but. You're gonna be a daddy."_

 _Gajeel's face went slack. His arms wanted to slip from his stance. "What? Shit, are you serious?"_

 _She nodded nervously, "Yea. I went to the doctor that day you had to pull a double."_

 _He walked up to her with his arms out to hug her. A nervous gulp swam in his throat. A father. He was going to be a father. That would certainly change a lot of things. He knew something had been off with her. He remembered all the times they had spent time together, now knowing he should have realized a lot sooner._

 _Breathing in the scent of her hair, he asked, "How far are you?"_

 _Katherine pulled away then, her blue eyes flitting up to his red ones. "That's the thing. I wanted to be sure, since my sister miscarried in the first trimester last year, so I waited to tell you in case I did too."_

 _She took his hand and placed it on her belly. There was a firm bump there, it would have been obvious on her had she lifted the shirt to expose her midsection. Gajeel sucked in a breath at the touch of the unyielding skin. "Katherine! Why didn't you tell me?!"_

" _Honey, I just told you why. Plus I was afraid of your reaction! You don't want a baby and-" She started quickly._

 _He cut her off. He never pulled his hand away from her belly. Instead, he inched a little closer to her. "I never said I didn't want one, I said I wanted to wait a bit. But it can't be helped now. You should have told me though. That's my kid in there."_

 _Katherine's eyes glistened with growing tears and she briefly averted her eyes. "I-I didn't want to tell you only to miscarry later. It's like it runs in my family. I didn't want to get your hopes up -my hopes up- and then find out… that I lost-"_

" _Shh. Stop." Gajeel murmured, shaking his head once. He proceeded to wrap his muscular arms around her shoulders. His wife gripped him as she struggled not to cry. He smelled of the outdoors, coupled with his deodorant and the remnants of copied paper. "How far along are you?" He asked again._

" _About twenty-two weeks... ish."_

 _He jerked at that, tightening his grip on her and pulling his face away to look down at her. "Twenty two weeks!? That's_ over _three months! You waited a whole fuckin' trimester to tell me?"_

" _I could have ended up miscarrying, Gajeel!" She retorted. "Would you rather had been excited and then devastated if the worst had happened?"_

 _He visibly took a deep breath. He wasn't angry with her for being pregnant, not at all. They hadn't kept track of all their sexual activities, but hadn't tried very hard to stop it either. It was entirely his doing as well. The fact that she hid it that well surprised him. With her obvious concerns, she had inadvertently robbed him of knowing he had procreated; he had gone three months without a clue any of this was happening._

" _It's fine, it's fine. Just let me know when all your appointments are so I can go too." He said gruffly. If she was worried about a miscarriage, the last thing she needed was to get worked up._

 _He felt her sigh into his chest. "Alright. My next one is friday at four."_

 _Kissing her head again, Gajeel let go of her and turned to head over to the calendar on the refrigerator door. His eyes scanned the dates and what was written under them. "I'm off at three, so that'll work. When do you find out if its a boy or a girl?"_

 _She stirred the contents of the cooking pot and watched him begin to unbutton his uniform, exposing the tight white t shirt underneath._

" _I already did…"_

 _At that, he gave her a harsh glare. It was apparent that he quickly let it go. He took off the black material and watched her. "So what is it then?"_

" _It's a girl." She cooed. Her smile widened. Her hand lifted to her belly to gently rub it. "We're going to have a daughter."_

 _His lips slowly slipped upwards. He was going to be a daddy, and he sorta liked it. He left the room to quickly change out of the rest of his work clothes to throw on some more comfortable gym shorts. The whole time it was as if his head was lighter than it should have been. The information Katherine surprised him with had yet to really settle. He came back to see Katherine loading a plate full from the stovetop._

" _You think of any names yet?" He asked as he pulled out a chair from the table to sit down. The white envelopes on the smooth, wooden surface before him caught his eye. Reaching out for them, he braced himself, knowing most would be dreaded bills._

" _Yea, there's a few I wrote down earlier. It's on a sticky note." She motioned with a finger to the table. A bright yellow square was stuck to one of the envelopes._

 _Scanning down the short list of names, he rejected almost every one of them. He looked up at her and remarked with a snort. "I'm not naming my daughter Jackie."_

" _Ahh! Why not?"_

" _Why not? You're serious?" He lifted an eyebrow. "That's an invitation for her to be called jack off or whatnot. It's bound to happen."_

 _Katherine laughed as she set a plate down in front of him. "I don't think that name would lead others to think that."_

" _Not Jackie." He confirmed, then picked up the fork and shoveled some of the steaming dinner into his mouth._

 _She sat across from him. "Ok. What about Emma?"_

" _No. Too generic." He replied before swallowing._

" _Penny?" She asked, her eyes brightened as she spoke. Her lips closed around a small amount on her utensil._

 _He hummed as he chewed, then nodded. "I like that one. Though it would be better if she had red hair."_

" _Which it's highly unlikely that she won't. You have black hair, mine is brown."_

" _Your sister has red hair." He pointed out, lifting another bite to his mouth. Her mother had a dark red tinge to her locks, and her sister had a lighter shade. It only made sense that one of their future children inherited the gene._

" _Yes, but still. Just expect darker hair."_

 _He chuckled, taking a fast sip of his water. "If not, then should I assume you've slept with the mailman?"_

 _Katherine kicked his leg from under the table with pursed lips. "I would never."_

 _Grinning at each other, Gajeel repeated the name. "Penny. Penny Redfox."_

" _It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it." Katherine commented happily. She watched him in silence as he ate and pondered. "So?"_

" _So what?" He asked, leaning over his plate. His eyes flashed up to meet hers._

 _She paused from moving the food around on the plate on the surface before her. "Do you like the name enough to stick with it?"_

" _Yea. Let's go with that."_

 _Katherine beamed while she began to talk about painting the extra bedroom designated as the nursery pink and brown. After a while of her voice speaking non stop about things in which he had no clue and he'd have to ask about later, Gajeel started to tune her out. He just nodded and agreed with her while he chowed down._

 _He gazed at her instead, watching her come alive as she talked and made hand gestures as she described things. Her excitement about their growing family looked good on her, it made her face glow. Especially while she sported his t shirt. The large grey material draped over her and hid her small baby bump. The new and shocking information still hadn't sunk in._

 _He couldn't help it; the genuine smile appeared on his face, which in turn made hers even larger. The woman he married really did make him happy._

* * *

" _Baby, throw me a beer!" Mike commanded with a bellow._

 _Levy violently jumped when she heard his deep voice through the open window screen. She had been doing the dishes in the kitchen, grateful for the silence the room offered. It gave her a chance to think. The sink had been strategically placed across from the window. There was a glorious view of the large backyard. She could see everything; the barn her boyfriend used for his garage, the empty pasture, the wooden porch. Her boyfriend cleaning his gun at the patio table._

 _Wiping her hands on the towel beside her, she moved to the refrigerator to retrieve one of the dark glass bottles. When she appeared by his side, he looked up. A lit cigarette wobbled between his lips as he grumbled incoherently about something on the firearm._

 _He pulled the brown beer from her and grabbed his bottle opener to wrench off the top. He pointed towards the two empty ones on the table. "Can you take those back in, Darlin'?"_

" _Mhm." Levy hummed, reaching out to take them. The glass clinked together. Walking to the back door, she glanced over her shoulder and saw him take a large swig before going back to his cleaning._

 _She didn't mind him drinking a few. It relaxed him, it allowed him to focus on other things besides her. Returning to the sink, Levy washed the rest of the dishes submerged in the soapy water. The sun was now fully down, well below the horizon. Warm air floated in the atmosphere along with the lightning bugs that were seen dotting the space outside._

 _Levy sighed. She loved the country. Loved the space it provided. She turned to gaze into the mudroom beside the kitchen. Her Ariat boots sat by the door, the mud around the soles now crusted with flaky dirt. Above them on a hook was the white, cotton lead rope she had used to bring in Blu. Somber thoughts threatened to coat the once happy memories. She frowned, willing her eyes to stay focused._

" _Dammit!" Mike growled. The clink of glass on glass broke her train of thought. Tan liquid flowed out of the tipped bottle. Her boyfriend lifted his gun up off the table, the long barrel of the double barrel shotgun pointing up towards the sky._

 _She quickly brought some paper towels out to him, laying them down on the wasted beer. Dipping down to the patio floor, she wiped up the small mess. "It's ok, I got it."_

" _That brand is expensive. I just fuckin' wasted it!"_

" _At least the bottle didn't break." Levy said easily. She tried to keep him from overreacting. If she did anything right, it was remedying the brewing of a foul mood before it unleashed. Mostly for her sake. His words were harsh and intentionally directed at her. Whether he was angry or not, he always seemed to take it out on her._

" _Yea…" He said absentmindedly. He checked the barrel, inspecting down where the shells were loaded. Flipping it up with a sharp jerk of his wrist, the part snapped back into place with an eerie click. "Oh, Liam's coming out."_

 _Levy bumped her head on the edge of the table when she heard. "What? Why?"_

" _He's bringing another pack. We're gonna burn all that shit." He indicated to the small hill of large branches and general eyesores the two men had previously cut down from the property. The fence row got the most attention; it was now clear of obstructions and looked exceptional._

" _H-how long is he gonna be here?" Levy softly asked. She had a sinking feeling in her chest._

 _Mike sat back down. "How the fuck should I know? I don't ask you about your friends."_

 _She cringed. It was a low blow, as she didn't really have any friends. Her best friend had been taken from her. She still suffered from the heartache. Balling up the soaked paper towels, she let out a breath. "Ok. I'll be inside then…"_

 _The dread of knowing Liam was on his way over loomed heavy on her. Soon it would be dark and the two of them would be most likely drunk. Last time he came on to her and Mike did nothing about it, just rocked back in his chair and laughed about something someone said. Her intoxicated boyfriend was nothing to mess around with either._

 _He was meaner, nastier. If his friend had really wanted her that night, there was nothing anyone could or would have done. Least of all her. Worry spread through her. She turned off the lights and headed upstairs to their room. Once inside, she turned on the small lamp, making sure the curtains were closed over the window._

 _It overlooked the backyard. She could see just about everything she had at the kitchen window. She'd be able to keep tabs on the two friends from the comfort of the bed. One thing she was glad about was that there were now no horses in the overgrown pasture to terrorize with the bad ideas tumbling around in drunken minds._

 _Reaching for her book on the small stand beside her, Levy immediately stretched out on the bed and buried herself in the story's setting, wishing she was there in that land. After what seemed like a long time, she heard voices outside. Her brown eyes shot to the window. The sky was black. White pinpricks of stars dotted the dark. An orange light glowed and she could see flames engulfing the pile. Mike and Liam were sitting on folding chairs a few feet away from it, drinking and laughing loudly._

 _She took a needed breath, not realizing she had been holding it. Her tense muscles began to relax. The book in her hands opened again, allowing her to keep reading. It was short lived however. The dull roar of engines slowly increased until she saw headlights approach the barn from the front of the house. Her heart pumped faster._

 _A truck and two cars parked near the old building and four more of her boyfriend's friends jumped out from them. One carried a large box, what she assumed were cans of beer. She was so intent on watching them to make sure they stayed around the fire, she jumped when her phone buzzed beside her. It was Mike._

" _H-hello?"_

" _Hey baby," He exclaimed. His voice screamed in her ear. She had to pull it away from her. "You should come down and hang with us. You're missin' out up there."_

" _I'm good here. I was about to go to bed." She lied easily. It ripped her inwardly to lie, but she was in no mood to deal with overly obnoxious rough-housers. Voices were louder than normal through the call, and she heard a deep voice say something about going to bed. "Am I on speaker?"_

 _Mike snorted. It was obvious he was on his way to full on drunkenness. "Yea, sorry. Liam wants to see you. I want to show you, I mean let you meet Brandon's girlfriend."_

" _I'm too tired, Mike." She said, wishing he would drop it. There was always an apprehensive air about her when it came to Liam. And she didn't know who the others were. "I'm going to bed."_

" _Seriously? Come on."_

" _No. Goodnight." She stated and then ended the call. Taking a moment to change out of her jeans and t shirt, she then settled between the bed covers and her horse throw blanket. She rolled to her side and held the book on the bed so she could continue to read. Sleep beckoned her, but she fought it as long as she could._

 _Thinking she would just rest her eyes, she unknowingly drifted to sleep. Her hand still pressed the delicate pages down. She was in between sleep and consciousness. A creak squeaked out. Whether it was in her dreams or not, Levy stirred unaware. Outside the voices were heard laughing and speaking with vulgar words. It had left her somewhat relaxed; as long as she heard them out there, she was safe. She slipped into full sleep._

 _The door opened, revealing Levy's sleeping form her the blanket. She laid there unmoving, peaceably sleeping. A hand removed the book to toss it onto the side table. Levy stirred without opening her eyes. She turned over. The blanket moved with her, exposing her sky blue panties._

 _She became slightly aware of hands moving over her hips. Sleepily she croaked, "Mike… stop. I'm too tired…"_

 _Music softly came to her ears. When did they turn on the radio? It masked the shrill voices below, occasionally a loud laugh was heard over it. She weakly brought a hand up to stop her boyfriend's advances, her hand enclosing around his wrist. "Seriously…"_

 _The hand shook her away and continued to peel off her underwear and move the blanket aside. She turned her head with eyes still closed. Lips crushed around them as hands quickly attached themselves to her wrists and something slid between her legs. Her blue panties were around one ankle. She opened her eyes. Someone pinned her down, and it wasn't Mike._

 _Her eyes widened to see Liam's face against hers. She could feel his bare hips against her skin as she tried to shut her legs together. Her hips bucked against his groin as she desperately tried to move away from him. A mewl came from her mouth, but a hand clamped her lips together._

" _Shh, be quiet. I won't take long." Liam's voice was coated with a drunk tone, his breath smelled of alcohol._

 _Levy's lungs burned with effort to scream "no!" and her arms flailed in vain to push Mike's friend away. Her boyfriend was nearly twenty two and still hung out with a young crowd. She knew Liam was the same age as her, but her small twenty one year old frame couldn't contend with his strong build._

 _He firmly pinned her hips under his own and pushed his way into her, well out of the way of her kicking legs. Her muffled cries intensified as he thrusted deeper into her core. His rough breathing hummed in her ears as he moaned._

 _It hurt her to breathe. The extreme burning in her pelvic region grew the harder and faster he went. Her arms strained against his hold and tears streamed down her cheeks and out from the corners of her eyes to fall into her ears. She screamed and cried, doing everything she could manage to try to stop the onslaught._

 _Liam's quick pumps into her now wet slit rocked her body with his. His moans made her sick. She had to fight the urge to puke, as his hand still clamped her lips together uncomfortably tight. As he continued into her, Levy's strength faded from her attempts to escape. Her body relaxed as she sobbed. She was defeated._

 _Abruptly, he gave a jerk and his motions briefly ceased as his hot seed shot up into her. She gave a disgusted whimper when she felt her body take in the liquid from his tensing organ. The inner walls involuntarily contracted around him. Her eyes squeezed shut and she tilted her head back, releasing a cry of devastation through his fingers._

 _Pulling out of her, her boyfriend's friend left Levy there on the bed, not bothering with anything at all as he watched her while he pulled on his pants and zipped them up. She immediately curled into a ball and sustained her weeping. The sheets around her were crumbled. There was a leaking sensation on her now cold opening below, and it repulsed her to know what it was from._

 _The shock of the event still shook her. She wobbled onto her feet. Her core burned with a soreness already. In the bathroom, she took stood in the shower and let the water run over her. Tenderly she touched the soap to her swollen slit. There was blood on her hand. Completely in a panic of tears, Levy did her best to clean up the mess that she was, all while shaking like a leaf. If this was how her life with Mike was going to be, if he was going to toss her to the side as if he couldn't care less about her, she wanted no part of it._

 _She longed to be with a man who cared and could take good care of her, who would truly love her and encourage her. Looking at herself now, she doubted any future, faithful man she yearned to have would ever want her in return._


	4. Steps

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning. All while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemons]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **AN:** Wow, getting back into this story was odd lol. I had to reread until the ideas I had had came back to me. And they came back mightier, I tell ya! Lots to happen. Idk if it will be as long as Fighting Redfox, but it will be involved just like that one.

Thanks for your patient waiting! I had to finish my other Gajevy fic, and I'm so glad I did. Don't forget to check that out if you haven't already! I'll be honest: reviews are a part of my motivation, and the more I get, the faster I chug these chapters out (also according to my real life schedule too). I really appreciate it and the time it took for you to pause and write however long of a review. It seriously means a lot.

And a special thanks to **KMMCM** for making a Fighting Redfox banner out of the goodness and creativeness of their heart! It was truly a _great_ surprise! Thank you so much! You are awesome! You all can find it on tumblr under either of our usernames here or on my pinterest (link to that on my tumblr) because I did save that under _Gajeel & Levy_. :) Thanks again for your talents and time!

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3 - By Steps**

The numbers on the alarm clock changed, signaling the built-in radio to start playing. Gajeel was already awake. He had been for a few minutes. Laying there, he listened to the music for a minute before reaching up to turn it off. He swung himself out of bed with a yawn. He stretched as he made his way down the hall, stopping at an open door to peer inside the room.

The little girl was sound asleep in her toddler bed. She had graduated from the crib not long ago. Wooden guards were set up by the pillow to keep her from falling out in case she rolled in her sleep. He felt bad for having to wake her, but he had to get her ready to go.

Sitting down on the mattress, Gajeel leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Time to wake up."

He pulled the covers back a little as his two year old daughter stirred awake. Her dark copper hair was tousled and a small cowlick parted her hair in the back where she had been laying. A yawn escaped her as she focused on her father. "No..."

"Yes. I have to go to work." He murmured, smoothing over her hair with a large hand.

He patiently waited as she sat up and rubbed her eye with tiny fingers, then gathered a shirt and pants from her dresser. He placed the pink pants on the sheets and faced her, ready to stick her head and arms through the pink shirt.

"Uh-oh. I go potty." Penny said quickly. Her large blue eyes widened.

"Ok, go. Hurry." Gajeel replied, picking her up and setting her feet down on the floor. He was pleased that she was finally telling him when she had to go to the bathroom. Potty training was easier with the advice Mira had given him.

She shuffled out of the room to the bathroom across the hall. Waiting on her, he hoped that she could do it herself. He leaned his head in around the door, checking on her. "How you doing?"

She hummed an answer, but struggled with her clothing. "Daddy…"

After helping her with her new pull ups and holding her up at the sink to wash her hands, he then was finally able to get her dressed and carried her to the kitchen. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"What do you want for breakfast?" He asked, still holding her in front of the cabinets. Her short legs tried to wrap around his torso, only to kick free and bounce back up to his side.

Her soft hair brushed against his face as she shook her head.

"You gotta eat something, sweetie."

"Nuh-uh…" She rubbed her eye again.

"Do you want Mira to cook you something when we get there?" He inquired again, on the verge of giving up on prompting her. Mira always made sure Penny had everything she needed during the day while he was gone.

"Yea!" Penny's eyes lit up and she vigorously nodded.

"Alright. You'll eat at Mira's. But you still have to brush your teeth now."

"I don' wanna!" She cried and kicked him in the back with her heel, her other foot barely missing his crotch. He tensed, letting out a quick breath in relief and held her leg to keep it from hitting him. The shrill tone of her voice pierced his ears.

He silently walked to the bathroom and set her on the counter so she was sitting facing him. Plucking her tiny princess toothbrush from the holder, he put a minute sized drop of toothpaste on the bristles. "Brush 'em."

She began to pout, but he shook his head. "Do it, baby. You're not getting down until those teeth are white." He said firmly. He crossed his arms as she weakly began to brush, ultimately making Gajeel finish it for her.

The sweet little girl opened her mouth and clamped her jaws together, her small teeth clacking. She made the "cheese" sound, which caused her father to chuckle.

With Penny all ready for the day and contentedly watching morning cartoons, Gajeel hurriedly threw his black work uniform into his department issue duffel and pulled a t shirt over his bare torso, the hem covering the top of his sweats at his waist. He appeared in the living room and turned off the tv. "Alright, come on. Let's get."

Securing his precious cargo into her carseat, he stuffed the duffle bag into the passenger seat beside him and backed the car out of the drive. The sky was still dark in the early hours of the morning. Street lights were still lit and a few vehicles were out, no doubt on the way to morning shifts at the local businesses. Gajeel looked up into the rearview. Penny's eyes were closed, her head resting against the side of the seat.

Laxus opened the front door just as Gajeel pulled up. He sipped at a cup of coffee wearing grey sweats and a t shirt. He watched as his partner carried a sleepy Penny up the walk along with her play bag full of essentials.

"Got you a cup, it's on the counter." Laxus murmured. He held the door open for them.

Gajeel grunted in answer. He laid Penny on the couch, covering her up with the throw blanket folded on the back. His voice raising slightly, thinking Mira was in the kitchen. "She's got extra pull-ups in the bag. She's learning, but has accidents sometimes. She's not had any breakfast either."

"I will make sure she eats." A female voice answered. Mira appeared from the hall after he spoke. She wiped at her mouth with a finger.

Gajeel straighten to his full height in time to see it. It was an action she hardly ever made. He raised an eyebrow. "...You alright there?"

"Mhm. I'm fine. Just a little morning sickness, is all." She softly chimed. Her smile widened as she glanced to her husband.

"Really now? Congratulations." Gajeel grinned, briefly drawing Mira into a quick hug.

Her lips spread into a larger smile. "Thank you. I'm finally going to be a mother!"

Gajeel gave Laxus a knowing glance and quickly went to retrieve his coffee, hearing footsteps continue behind him. The blond man's face held a lazy expression and gingerly sipped at the hot liquid.

"A dad, huh." Gajeel casually stated and blew at the coffee before drinking it.

"Still surreal."

"It must be early then." His eyes had shifted to Mira's midsection when she told him, but there was no sign of a bump.

"She told me after my shift yesterday. She used four of those pee sticks. All positive."

There was a glint in his partner's eyes. Laxus frowned, knowing something smart was going to be the next thing out of Gajeel's mouth. "Whatever you're gonna say, you better swallow it. Drink the rest of your damn coffee so we can head out."

The smile never left the dark haired man.

"It only took you two years." Gajeel simply stated, nonchalant. His face turned smug.

In the two that it took for Laxus and Mira to expect their own child, he had already had to deal with sleepless nights, changing soiled diapers, and crying and screaming. Alone. He learned and managed to hide his emotions in the deep well that was his mind. Since that night, no one had been able to see far enough into the dark to find the light on the other side.

"Shut up, asshole." Laxus growled and rolled his eyes. He effortlessly punched Gajeel in the shoulder before they made their way to the front door, their cups placed in the sink for Mira to wash later.

Pausing only to kiss Penny's forehead, Gajeel headed out the door, with Laxus in tow after kissing his wife goodbye for the day. They headed for Gajeel's car, carpooling to work. Both of them were silent, content to listen to the radio's music and let the coffee kick in. A twelve hour shift was going to be a long day.

Once at the station, they did their morning routine of physical workouts, used the locker room showers as well as changed into their black uniforms for their shift, and inspected their police issued weapons for their safety while on duty. They were ready to roll out in time to start their patrol. It was still a little dark out; the streetlamps lit the station's large back lot.

Walking to their assigned white and gold vehicle, Laxus tossed the keys to Gajeel. "Your turn to drive."

The black haired man grunted as he caught and palmed them, then slid into the driver's seat to start checking the car's technical components. He flipped the switch to see if the lights were still in working condition. Blue and red flashed across the side of the building for a brief moment. He glanced to Laxus. "Where we headed today, boss?"

The blond flipped through the papers in his hands as he turned on the laptop. "Do you mean for lunch?"

Gajeel gave him a look as he quickly tested the siren as well.

Grinning, Laxus turned the computer towards him. "I'd figure we'd head over to Dave's. Every Wednesday he has that special."

At the innocent mention of that name, Gajeel inwardly stiffened, his eyes staring into space. That meant he might see Levy. He hadn't thought about her since he'd met her a few days prior. A large part of him wanted to see her again; she was really pretty, and it had been a long while since he had thought that about any woman.

"Alright fine. Where are we headed today?" He asked again.

Laxus sighed. "South side. The shit hole."

Gajeel pursed his lips. It wasn't exactly the best neighborhood to be wearing the badge. Seeing that the patrol car was in working order, he turned the engine over. The Charger came to life with a deep rumble. He guided the vehicle towards the street and turned onto it to officially begin their workday.

* * *

 _Levy sat on the padded table, still in the white hospital gown. Her wetted eyes wandered around the room and all of the medical posters. Her body lightly shook from excitement and anticipation. It made her tense up at the noises beyond the closed doorway. This was not what she had wanted to do with her day. How did she end up here? What made her stay with the ungrateful idiot? Was it because she was afraid of him? Or afraid of Liam?_

 _The door to the small examination room opened abruptly and the doctor came in, a small, comforting smile set on her face. She held Levy's file in her arms as she addressed her. "There is nothing but good news. You're not pregnant, Miss McGarden. But I'd expect to be sore for a while," her expression turned neutral. "What he did was not your fault. Don't ever think it was. It was one of the most vile things to do to another human being."_

 _Levy nodded and tried to smile, but her muscles wouldn't let her. "W-what about the other tests?"_

" _They came back clean. Physically you are sound, but are still feeling the affects. Just take it easy for a week. If you need a few counselling rounds, I do suggest the office across the street. They'll have you in and out in a jiffy."_

 _Levy pursed her lips and nodded. "Ok. Thank you."_

 _The doctor gave her another compassionate smile and the card for the counseling. She left the room to give her the privacy to change into her clothes. After she slipped her shoes on her feet, Levy stood there for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Her insides quaked, the air caught in her lungs. Even though everything was clear and normal, she still felt gross. She felt like a dull, used up doll. Like no one would ever want her._

 _She opened her eyes. They glistened with moisture._

 _How many times would this happen? She couldn't stay with Mike. He was abusive. Not to mention that Liam was always around and it had made her nervous even before what had happened. She couldn't go home. Her environment there was not good at all. They'd eventually break her if she continued like nothing had occurred._

 _She had to leave._

 _As she gathered her purse and her keys, she left the room and headed for the sliding doors of the exit. Her mind barely registered the people she passed; the nurses, the patients, a baby held by her mother at the registration desk; she was already at the house, packing up all of her things before Mike got home from work._

 _The sunlight hit her as she stepped outside. It was a beautiful morning, and she wished she could feel it. Though it was as if she was numb to anything outside her own hurt buried inside her fragile frame. Her eyes scanned her surroundings as she got into her red car. She drove through the parking lot. A sheriff car sat in one of the lanes._

 _She smiled and waved as she passed the officer's car. He nodded to her and watched her wait at the red light. Levy knew she should have called the police on Liam that night. Fear of what she could be subjected to kept her silent. It was after the fact now. If she went to the police now, it would just be a 'he said, she said' match and would waste everyone's time._

 _As she turned into the drive, she glanced at down towards the house. No one was home. The property looked empty. Peaceful. For once in her life, she was glad there were no horses or other animals there. She didn't have the truck or the trailer to haul them if they were. And she wouldn't have left them behind. She would have found a way._

 _Instead of getting the mail and setting it on the table as she usually did, Levy went inside and immediately went upstairs to her room. She didn't have a lot of possessions, but she mentally made a list of all that she did have. She hastily grabbed her orange backpack from the bottom of the closet and began to stuff materials from her dresser into its spacious pockets._

 _Filling her backpack and her laundry basket with all of her clothing and her horse throw blanket, she put what jewelry, hygiene products, and other various items she had and quickly arranged them for easy carrying. She had no idea where to go, but anything was better than being there. It was not happening again._

 _Levy shouldered her backpack and carefully toted the basket and bag down the stairs. She loaded her car, then shut the back door and looked into her reflection in the window. Her fingers pointed at the vehicle as she remembered what she forgot._

 _In the mudroom, she grabbed her Ariats and the lead rope dangling above it. She knocked the boots together to crack off the dried mud, not caring the bits of dirt fell apart over the floor to make a mess. She glanced to the cabinet above the dryer unit. There was an old coffee can she saved for loose change, but had begun to store extra cash in it out of boredom. Knowing there was no time to count it, she took the whole thing and set all three objects on the passenger seat._

 _Down the drive, Levy's mind began to panic. What did she think she was doing? She was leaving a home! No, that house, was not a home. There was a difference. Nevertheless, she was leaving the only shelter she knew. Tears streamed down her cheeks, staining her skin and she couldn't get them to stop. Her mind quickly recalled the contacts in her phone. There were a few people she could perhaps stay with for the time being until she got a new job._

 _Though most of those specific contacts lived in different parts of the state._

 _Remembering she had friends who lived a few hours away, Levy checked to see that she had enough fuel and headed for the interstate. Taking another deep breath to calm her fraying nerves, she decided to drive. Run the car until it was near empty. Even if she found herself lost, she'd eventually find where she should go. She'd find her life again._

 _She'd just drive._

* * *

"Unit Fourteen to dispatch," his voice spoke lazily, relaying their status to the station from the radio.

" _Fourteen, go ahead_." The dispatcher's voice crackled on his shoulder. She used the vehicle identification number to identify the unit. Her sheet with the officers' names assigned to each patrol vehicle was laid out before her. The radio made a quick tone before going silent.

Gajeel thumbed the device on his shoulder to respond as he drove up behind a speeding vehicle. He quickly shifted to park several feet behind their target, leaving the light cycle above them on to keep other passing drivers aware. His radio made the same tone when the talk button was pressed. "Highway 20, southbound. A black Cobalt. 10-38, it didn't look like it would."

" _10-4. Officers 10-6._ " The calm female voice replied over the channel and so that other units in the county would know their unit was occupied while they listened to radio traffic.

Gajeel opened the door and slid out. He casually walked towards the car ahead of him. His red eyes scanned his surroundings before brushing his fingers on the red tail light and approaching the driver's door. The window was rolled down and he could see hands on the wheel. Stopping at the door, he bent at the waist, peering into the vehicle.

"Afternoon miss," he said pleasantly. Noting the patient uncertainty on the young woman's face, he continued in an easy tone. "I clocked you doing ten over back there."

She glanced towards her dash, her eyes widening. "Oh, oh sorry. I wasn't looking."

"You wanna tell me why you didn't stop when I flipped on the lights?" He relaxed a little bit as he conversed with her. His training enabled him to see a threat before it manifested inside a person, and this girl was not one.

The woman's gaze returned to him, and immediately dropped her eyes. Red slowly entered her cheeks. "My mother told me to find a good place to stop if I was ever pulled over. It's not a ditch now."

She vaguely pointed with her finger towards the right side of the road. It was a flat section of ground, where several hundred feet back was a ditch. Gajeel nodded as he looked at her. Her mother had good advice. "Alright, it's not a problem. Where you headed?"

"My dad's. He lives down the next road."

He smiled. "I need your driver's license and proof of insurance first, then I'll get you on your way."

He patiently waited while she retrieved what he had asked for and then strode back to the car after she handed them over. Once inside and sitting, Laxus turned to him. "What ya got for me?"

"Driver's young." Gajeel murmured. He handed the information over to him. He watched as Laxus entered what was in his hands into the computer.

"Eh, she's just a kid."

"Sixteen, she's barely had her license for six months," Gajeel squinted at the screen as he commented. He leaned back in the seat. "No priors. She was just listening to loud music I bet."

Laxus shook his head, holding the cards out to Gajeel, then moved the computer's stand away from him. "Probably the first time she's been stopped too. I'm hungry. Just give her a warning so we can go back to town for some food."

Taking the information back with a snort, Gajeel retorted. "All you think about is your damn stomach."

The blond frowned, feigning an appalled expression. The corners of his lips couldn't hide the grin. "Not true. I think about other things."

"Like what?" Gajeel asked as he climbed out of the car. He didn't expect an answer. The two men were alike in similar ways.

"Things that are none of your business." Laxus jested. He pulled his sunglasses over his eyes.

"Uh-huh."

With the license and insurance card given back to the driver, Gajeel gave her a verbal warning and walked towards the patrol car. The cobalt drove off, careful to remain under the speed limit as it gained distance.

The two officers reported what had occurred, as well as typed it on the computer for their daily log. They drove through town. Once the red light turned green, Gajeel guided the car to the parking spaces in front of their favorite lunch spot.

Their hour break was after the lunch rush that came through every week day. Dave saw them come in as he wiped down a table. "Right on time. I can bet on it just about every time."

Laxus greeted him with a raise of his hand. "And I bet you're pretty damn rich."

"You two're the reason I created the Wednesday special." The cafe owner replied happily. He briskly walked behind the counter, picking up an order ticket from habit and wrote down their usuals. The two officers sat down on the stools at the main counter.

Gajeel's eyes scanned the spacious building. He glanced into the kitchen, seeing familiar employees, but not the one he sought. He looked at Dave. "Levy working today?"

Dave shifted his gaze from the ticket. "It's her day off. Said she was going to try to work with Gladiolus some."

"Gladiolus?"

"My new horse," Dave explained as he put the ticket through to the kitchen. "I rescued him from a livestock auction. He was half starved, scared shitless of people. I'm fairly sure he was abused."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. His mind's eye picture Levy trying to calm a large, frightened beast. "And you trust the horse with her?"

Dave chuckled and wiped his hands on his dirty apron. "No. I trust her with him. She's got a way with animals. Always has."

Nodding, Gajeel asked, "When did you get him?"

"A few months ago. He still won't come up to me. He's set up camp at the back of the pasture."

"How'd you get him to the farm then?" Laxus inquired, now somewhat interested in the story.

"With difficulty. It took us over an hour to get him in the trailer," Dave laid his hand on the countertop. "The only thing I'm worried about is Levy getting close and getting kicked or something. I know she volunteered to come out and help, but it's going to be a big job."

"Sounds like a dangerous one." Laxus replied.

Gajeel agreed. He didn't know her that well and he knew next to nothing about horses, but he was interested. Levy had struck him and a spark had ignited the dying ember within him.

"I couldn't do it. Give me a gun and a radio, I'll patrol all day. But an animal that could easily kill you on a whim? No, thank you." Laxus was saying.

"What does she usually eat?" Gajeel asked suddenly. He looked from the tv in the corner to the man behind the counter.

Dave seemed confused. "Who? Gladiolus? He's a male-"

"Not the horse. I mean Levy."

"Oh right, I don't know. I've never seen her not like anything on the menu. Why?"

Gajeel knocked Laxus' arm with his, his attention quickly focusing on the cafe's owner. "Whip something up for her too, and we'll take it to go."

The blond glanced up from his phone. "We will?"

Dave nodded, following Gajeel line of thought. He smiled. "Alright. I'm sure she'd like that. I haven't heard from her all morning."

Laxus sighed. "I'll go, but I actually want to enjoy my lunch break. I'm not getting out of the car. I don't want to risk mixing farm smells with what I'll be eating."

"You don't have to."

Gajeel tried not to fidget as they waited for their food. His stomach growled. His mind had been centered on eating until they'd stepped into the cafe. Now he was more excited to see a pretty bluenette. His phone vibrated against his leg in his pocket. Pulling out the phone, he opened the text.

It was a picture of his daughter playing outside with Mira on the back porch. Penny's smile was wide, her copper hair flying behind her with the breeze. She looked so much like her mother, it physically hurt his chest to stare at the picture for too long. There was a mix of happiness and sadness. The two emotions mingled together in a sort of pleasant way and it made a tingle run down his arms to his legs. It was good that she reminded him of Katherine. But he also felt the need to move on.

How could he move on when he felt guilty? How could he begin again with someone new? It was almost like it wasn't fair. But what she did to him… that wasn't fair either. None of it was. Certainly not to their daughter. Glancing at the picture one more time, Gajeel knew he had to try for Penny.

If it meant moving on after two years, then he would. It was easier said than done, he knew. But he would.


	5. Tragedy

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning. All while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemons]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **AN** : Finally I got this chapter out. It's a doozy... hold onto your heart.

 **CHAPTER 4 -By Tragedy**

 _Gajeel placed a quick kiss on his wife's cheek as he reached around her for the coffee pot. He slightly turned to pour himself a cup, then hurriedly replaced the pot back on its stand. He noticed Katherine watching him over her shoulder._

" _What?" He asked innocently. He blew at the hot drink before taking a sip._

" _You already had a cup earlier this morning." She stood in front of the kitchen counter in a gray and black sweater and black yoga pants. The warm material of her clothing stretched over her rounded stomach._

 _Gajeel looked at her as he drank, and then looked to the stove's clock. In his work uniform, he had a half hour until his shift started. It was his turn for the weekend on second shift. He finished the coffee in a hurry and placed the mug in the sink. "I won't be back home until after eleven. I need the caffeine."_

" _Doesn't the station have a coffee maker?" Katherine squinted as she gazed up at him, then she screwed the lid back onto the mayonnaise jar, still awaiting his answer._

 _He shrugged and let his bottom lip slide forward before opening his mouth. "It does, but I like to drink it here."_

" _You just want to tease me since I can't." Her hands left the counter to enforce her point, wrapping around her baby belly._

" _Nah…" He began. His eyes dropped down to her midsection when she resumed the creation of her lunch, but couldn't hide the smile creeping up on his lips when she narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. "Maybe a little."_

 _She brought the sandwich to her mouth and took a bite, still eyeing him and his sly expression. "Uh-huh. Thought so."_

 _Gajeel paused before turning to head out. He watched her face, her eyes flitting up to meet his at his delay. "Hey, listen, hun," he started. "Don't go anywhere today if you don't have to. It's supposed to keep snowing all day before it all turns to ice."_

 _Katherine nodded. "I wasn't planning on getting out in that. Classes don't resume for another few days anyways." She turned to gaze out the kitchen window. Everything outside was completely covered with the white powder. It was a beautiful sight. It made her want to curl up on the couch and read the rest of her book._

" _Good," Gajeel said, relieved. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I'll be home late. Order some pizza or something if you want an hour before I'm off and I'll go get it."_

 _She took swallowed the bite of her sandwich before responding. "That sounds great. Be careful on the roads today."_

 _He was already halfway to the front door. "I will, love you!" He called and grabbed his duffle bag from the couch before opening the door._

 _The cold and snow briefly entered the warm living room. Katherine slowly made her way to the window that overlooked the front drive, resting a hand on the top of her belly. The air from outside brushed against the bare skin of her belly left exposed by her sweater. A shiver ran through her from the sensation. She watched her husband carefully drive down their snow covered lane._

 _Gajeel glanced into the rearview to look back at the snow-covered house. The lane was in desperate need of shoveling. He had said he was going to do it before he left so the lane would be at least a little clearer when he got home, but he shrugged it off to spend the morning with Katherine._

 _Her car was still where it had been parked for two weeks, now under a mound of snow. She hadn't gone anywhere during her holiday vacation from work, always went with him wherever they had to go on his days off. Not that he minded driving her everywhere. He enjoyed it. It let him show off his glowing wife._

 _People in the town knew them, waved at them when at the diner or the local grocery. The small town's inhabitants knew their history and when news of Katherine's surprise pregnancy spread like wildfire through word of mouth, everyone offered their congratulations with personal greetings and hallmark cards once it was confirmed. It made it all the more special for her, and in turn, Gajeel._

 _His eyes focused on the task as he looked both ways before turning onto the road. The tires slid on invisible ice that coated the blacktop. Back tires spun, desperate to catch friction. It was only for a brief moment. Then the car righted, lining up parallel with the lines on either side._

 _Shaking his head, he turned on the radio to hear the chatter on the channels the other officers on duty were using._

 _He hated winter. The cold, the snow and ice, it all just made extra driving hazards. There were always more accidents this time of year. If he was a betting man like Laxus, he would have ended up owing money on the amount of weather related calls they received through the weeks. It amazed him how frozen water could cause so much trouble._

* * *

 _Slamming the hood down on the vehicle, Liam wiped his grease-covered hands on the red shop rag in his fist. He gazed at the car before him, letting his brown eyes roam from the hood scoop down to the small spoiler atop the trunk. The blue Nissan was ready now, give or take a few adjustments. Smiling, he shook his head, clacking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. It was finished in time for Friday's race. There was no way that rich snob would beat him now._

 _The winner's pot had grown considerably in the last few days. There was talk of a few pink slips that had been tossed into it. If he won the race, he'd not only be keeping his car and the money, but also the other vehicles that had been bet as well. It would no doubt be one of the richest races yet._

 _Buzzing in his pocket indicated a phone call. He dug around for it. The caller ID told him who it was. Immediately answering it, he snorted. "What's up, fuck face?"_

 _His friend sounded agitated, not beating around the bush with time-consuming pleasantries. "_ Is Levy with you?"

" _Uh, no. Why?" He walked around the parked car to the miniature fridge in the garage's corner to grab a beer._

"Fuck _!" Mike spat. There was a tinking out on his end._

 _With one finger, Liam popped open the tab on the can's top. "What? Lost track of your old lady?" He took a sip._

"She's been acting weird for the last few weeks."

 _Liam's stomach bottomed out. She had better not be pregnant. That was the last thing he needed. He doubted she told Mike about their brief sexual encounter, who would have confronted him about it followed by a nasty brawl; he'd end up with a shiner and a swollen lip. His friend sounded more annoyed and concerned than pissed off. Still, he narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "Weird? How?"_

"Skittish. Not looking me in the eye. She won't even sleep with me, and she's usually ready whenever I tell her. But I've been home for three hours now and she's not showed up yet."

" _Have you tried calling her?" Liam felt a little relief at his friend's words._

"Yes, about five fuckin' times! I wouldn't be calling you if I hadn't, Dipshit!"

 _Shrugging, Liam huffed and quickly took a drink from the can. "I don't know what to tell ya. She's not here, you know she doesn't like me very much. But I can try to get ahold of her for you."_

 _There was a sigh on the other end of the call._ "I thought maybe on the off chance you'd know where she is. This isn't like her."

" _Are you worried?"_

"Eh. Not really. She's the independent kind," _Mike nonchalantly said. "_ But with the way she's been lately, it feels like she's just gonna up and leave."

 _Liam chuckled. "If that's the case, I'll take ya out to Dante's bar and we'll go scope out the local tail if you're down."_

"Yea, I'm bored as hell here."

 _Liam nodded and quickly took a drink from the beer can. "What about Levy? What if she comes home and you aren't there?"_

 _There was a fierce snort. "_ Fuck her. If she can't leave me a note, then I sure as hell ain't leavin' one for her for. Who knows what she's doing."

" _Well if you two do break, can I have a go at her?" Liam asked in a serious tone._

"Do whatever the fuck you want. She's not too hard to handle."

 _Liam chuckled again and set the can on the workbench beside him. If she was as easy as she was the night he had his way, he was going to have fun with the chase. He smirked. "I don't doubt."_

"I'll meet you at Dante's in thirty."

* * *

 _The police scanner continually rattled off calls during the evening hours, crackling with codes and incomplete sentences from the officers on their patrols. Inside the station it was fairly slow for the time being, as it was after most business hours and most people would be at home with their families for the night. No medical, domestic, or vehicular accident calls came through for several hours. Only small slide-offs and traffic stops._

 _Gajeel leaned back in his chair with a rough sigh._

 _He scanned the paperwork on the desk with disdain. The clock on the wall read 9:52pm. He briefly closed his tired eyes and groaned. Sitting in the chair already for an hour and a half, he squirmed and shifted, turning his head to look out the dark window. Snow was falling again; he could see it in the outside lot lights. There was already a good amount of it piled high._

" _Need another cup of coffee?" Laxus asked as he came through the open doorway holding a disposable cup. Between his arm and his side was a folder with the paperwork he'd needed to finish._

 _Gajeel tried to stifle the yawn that had unexpectedly shown up on him, covering his open mouth with the back of his hand. He nodded. "Yea… I'm about there."_

 _His tall partner sat down at the desk across from his own, setting the cup carefully on the flat surface beside the computer monitor. "Get up, do some push ups. Or go for a quick run."_

 _Gajeel couldn't move. It was just a cold, lazy-feeling night. It was definitely not where he wanted to be. "Ehh, I'll be ok with the coffee." When he went to stand up, Laxus swallowed what hot liquid was in his mouth and shook his head._

" _You stay," he commented. "I'll get it. I can't stand doing paperwork for very long…"_

 _Raising an eyebrow, Gajeel looked plainly at him. If he was honest with himself, he'd be perfectly content to stay put for another hour with no calls. At least he'd be getting paid to sit on his ass. He yawned again, watching the man leave the room through slitted eyes._

 _His forefinger and thumb rubbed the bridge of his nose. The bright screen in front of him hurt his eyes, as worn out as he was. It made his eyes slightly water. And no doubt Katherine would have something for him to fix or retrieve when he got home. I had promised her he'd put together the new crib they had bought online, saying that it could be a weekend project. All he could think about now was being home with her._

 _Pulling out his phone, he looked over the text messages between them over the course of the day. He thumbed through the sparse conversation, smiling as he reread them. His eyes focused on the picture he had set as his wallpaper when he backed out of the messages: a candid pregnant Katherine looking out the kitchen window as she washed dishes in the sink. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen._

" _Here," a voice said. He glanced up to find the same kind of cup in the blond's hand hanging before him._

 _Taking it with a thank you, Gajeel gingerly sipped at it and prepared to continue his work. Several minutes ticked by, and typing, sipping, and the officers outside their workspace were the only sounds. The scanner went off again, a low tone before a higher pitch. Gajeel paid no attention to it as he was finally focused on filing and sorting the month's worth of boring flat work he'd neglected to do. No one liked to sit for hours just to do the mundane tasks a secretary could do. Especially when the job description was making arrests and chasing speeding cars._

 _Laxus looked away from his screen towards the scanner. He stared at the floor as he listened to the officer and dispatch. It seemed there was another slide off. He turned back and his fingers began to type until he heard certain words. They made his blood run cold._

 _Quickly turning down the volume, Laxus' wide eyes darted to his partner. Gajeel was intent on his work, frowning and lips moving as he read what he had just typed. Standing up, the tall officer strode out of the room, glancing behind him as he did._

 _The woman at the dispatch desk was frantically typing. She glanced up as he approached, then adjusted the headset upon her head._

" _What the hell was that?" Laxus hissed, his blue eyes narrowing. He motioned to the monitor facing away from him._

" _Did he hear the call?" She asked. Frown lines appeared on her face. "I'm sorry, I can't not respond to them-"_

" _It's alright, it's your job. He didn't hear it, but he will," he murmured. It might be a simple fix, a little shaken up but nothing more. Though with this awful weather… If it was bad, there would be a mighty large blow up on their end. "Just make sure you keep it discreet until we know for sure what's happened."_

 _She nodded and pushed a button on the side of her headset to answer an officer through the radio. "Unit Ten, go ahead."_

 _Laxus stood there, wanting to hear at least a little bit of the officer's call so he knew how to handle a potentially bad situation. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to do with the rest of his shift. He kept a watchful eye on his dark-haired partner._

" _Ten-Four, officer requesting medical," the female dispatcher calmly voiced, moving only her eyes, quickly shifting to the officer standing on the other side of the long desk. "Location southbound, just north of highway 10, vehicular slide off. Red Toyota Corolla. No other vehicles involved."_

" _Shit…" Laxus said in a small intake of breath._

 _The dispatcher shook her head as she listened. She raised her hand and pointed in the direction of his partner while keeping her eyes on the computer screen, shaking her finger as she replied to the officer on the radio. "Possible entrapment…"_

" _Let me know when you hear a name," Laxus said with a rush._

" _Officers on scene requesting to withhold subject identity at this time-"_

 _Laxus stomach bottomed out as he registered the dispatcher's spoken words. He turned to head back to Gajeel when he heard the one thing that confirmed it for him._

" _Entrapment of a twenty-three-year-old pregnant female, requesting fire at this time. Engine 3 and 5 are available."_

 _Laxus quickly walked back to the room where he had left. What would he tell him? How would he? He couldn't just go out alone to the scene, he'd have to take Gajeel with him. But he couldn't let that be how he found out his wife was in an accident._

" _Gajeel," he said. He grabbed his coat off the back of the chair._

 _The black haired officer pulled himself away from reading. Laxus waved his hand. "Come on, there's a call."_

 _Gajeel checked the time on the clock and silently followed, throwing on his black work jacket. He caught the stares of several officers as they passed. He thought nothing of it as he opened the main glass door. A harsh wind hit him in the face, taking his breath away. The snow melted within moments of making contact with his skin._

" _Where we headed?" He inquired, glancing to his partner._

" _Accident. I'll drive." Laxus answered. He tried to keep his expression slack, watching Gajeel out of the corner of his eye. He knew the man could control his emotions; one had to be able to in their line of work. But when he finally found out who was involved, it was best that Laxus be the one driving._

 _They slowly made their way through the rough streets, the dirty slosh making the roadways slick and dangerous. They slid at a red light, the large cruiser shifting in the lane. As they approached the highway, red and blue lights were flashing from the patrol cars of the officers that had first responded._

" _Must be pretty bad to have two engines," Gajeel said casually as he looked at the upcoming accident._

 _Laxus bit his tongue. He couldn't tell him. It wasn't right. And he didn't know for sure if it was his partner's wife or not. The county may not be big, though it could just as well been someone passing through on travel. He flipped on the red and blue lights and parked the patrol car near another one of the department vehicles._

 _Gajeel narrowed his eyes as he saw the floodlights aimed at a red car. It was half off the road, angled down in the ditch. The front end was smashed in and smoking quite a bit. The pungent smell of oil and radiator coolant was heavy in the thin air. Emergency responders were gathered around the front end, using a large electrical metal cutter to clear away the crumpled and broken vehicle frame._

" _Laxus," Gajeel muttered. His hot breath escaped in a twirling vapor cloud in the freezing cold. He recognized the Corolla. "Laxus, it's Katherine's car-"_

 _He ran as fast as the snow and slosh would let him, ignoring the men surrounding the driver's side door. An officer caught him before he could make it around to see past the emergency personnel. "I'm sorry, Redfox, but you can't."_

" _What do you mean I can't?! That's my wife!" He spat. His voice rose with his alarm, now knowing for sure. A fellow officer wouldn't have stopped him from fully approaching._

 _The man shook his head, holding up his hand. "You know the protocol. I can't let you."_

 _Gajeel tried to push past, but the other man kept him at bay. "Katherine!" He cried. "Dammit, get off me!" He shoved the officer away from him, but another one came to help keep him where he was._

" _W-what happened? Is she ok? Is she awake? She's almost eight months pregnant-" Gajeel began desperately. He tried to catch his breath, but the air wouldn't go into his lungs. An icy pang shot through him, causing his limbs to shake._

 _The officer ignored him, knowing he couldn't tell him anything until the EMTs could check her and the baby. He could see one of them bring a stretcher and the firemen backed away as they pulled the last of the metal away. Immediately the medical team jumped in to assess her. Gajeel could only watch the tops of their heads as they worked._

 _He felt a hand on his shoulder. Laxus squeezed and pursed his lips, giving him support. Gajeel struggled to breathe. They were taking forever to get her out of the mangled car. His legs felt like jello standing still while desperately wanting to move forward to meet her._

 _Finally, the officer holding him let him through as they rolled the stretcher towards the ambulance. He rushed to the scene, sliding to a stop at her side. Katherine was unconscious. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth. The team had apparently cleaned her up; there was glass in her hair and the cuts on her face were now beginning to seep again. Her arm was in a splint, and there were wires on her large belly connected to a portable monitor._

" _Katherine-" Gajeel shouted. He took a deep breath._

" _You're the husband?" An EMT asked as they prepared to load the stretcher into the back of the large flashing ambulance._

" _Yea, is she gonna be ok?"_

" _We're doing everything we can. We'll know more when we get to the hospital."_

 _Anger and fear gripped Gajeel in the gut. He frowned. He found it difficult to restrain himself from grabbing the man's reflective work jacket. "Don't feed me that bullshit. Tell me!"_

" _Sir, please. We're doing all that we can do here," he replied calmly. He gestured behind him to the rig. "Get in if you're coming."_

 _Gajeel climbed in the back after him, sitting down next to Katherine's feet. The monitor beeped quickly and in time with the baby's heartbeat. Seeing her exposed belly and the bloody cut on her face, along with the fear of the unknown, caused his eyes to water. He laid a hand on her leg. "What the hell were you doing out?" He murmured to himself. He squeezed, then wiped the unshed tears from his eyes with his other hand._

 _Once arriving at the ER dock, Gajeel jumped out to let the EMTs do their work. He walked along with them as they quickly rolled her inside the hospital. The man Gajeel had spoken to began to rattle off medical terms regarding Katherine's condition to the doctor that met them. He wore a yellow trauma gown over his blue scrubs._

 _Gajeel watched helplessly as the doctor scanned the chart the EMT had started. He called loudly to another doctor, who appeared beside him almost instantly. The doctor's voice held an authoritative edge. "Page OB, I want images on the baby. Also, get a head CT for the mother. Do it fast."_

 _He turned to Gajeel. "Are you the officer on scene?"_

" _No, I-I'm her husband."_

" _We're going to do everything we can, alright? Take a seat in the waiting room down the hall to your left. Someone will update you when we know more."_

 _With that the doctor turned to leave, taking a chart from another and quickly reading through. Gajeel numbly headed to where he was told to wait. It felt like a dream. None of it was real. It couldn't be. No. She was going to be fine. Her and their baby. They were going to be ok. They had to be._

 _Once he entered the room, he found an empty row of seats and slowly sat down. His eyes gazed out the window into the night. The phone in his hands he unlocked, as if seeing the wallpaper would help calm his frayed nerves. The picture did just the opposite._

 _Gajeel struggled not to lose himself thinking of the worst that could happen. There wasn't very many people in the room, but he couldn't break down in front of them. He was a police officer. He was supposed to be strong. To protect and defend. Though how was he supposed to defend himself from the onslaught of deep emotion?_

 _Footsteps approached him. His head snapped up to see Laxus. The blond held a bottle of water in his hand, which he gave to him, then sat down in an empty chair. They didn't have to speak. There wasn't anything the blond could do or say that hadn't been said or done already. It was enough for Gajeel that his work partner was present. He wasn't alone._

 _After what seemed like hours to Gajeel, a doctor in a blue surgical gown entered the room. The distraught officer stood up. "How is she" was all he could muster; no matter how many times he wet it, his throat was dry and scratchy._

 _The surgeon looked him in the eye. "Officer Redfox. I will need you to fill out a few forms before you leave."_

" _Alright, yea. Is my family ok?" Gajeel asked. He tried not to sound as broken as he felt._

" _Your daughter is doing well. In a bit of shock, but she's stable."_

 _Gajeel noticed the young man didn't refer to her as a baby, rather as a person. "And her mother?"_

" _Your wife lost a lot of blood. A head CT showed a massive bleed, but we managed to get it under control. However, she continued to bleed internally. We searched for the source until we found it, but we couldn't contain it. It forced us to deliver the baby by c-section."_

 _Gajeel's eyes widened. He didn't know how to speak then, just staring at the doctor relaying messages. He wouldn't have known how to speak even if he knew what to say. He had a daughter now in the world. She was alive, she was here._

" _Though Officer Redfox, we did all we could, but there was just too much bleeding-"_

 _Standing behind his friend, Laxus closed his eyes and hung his head. He squeezed them shut, shaking his head once._

 _Gajeel's breath caught in his throat at the words._

" _-I'm sorry to have to tell you that your wife died-"_

 _He shook his head. "No. She can't be. You delivered the baby, she's fine. Penny needs her mother…"_

 _The doctor's somber expression told the truth, no matter how hard it was to take in. "We could save your daughter, she's in the NICU. Your wife's injuries were just too severe. I'm incredibly sorry for your loss."_

 _Gajeel's hand shot to his mouth. He slowly walked away towards the line of windows. Behind him he could faintly hear Laxus thank the surgeon. This could not be happening to him. Katherine… was dead…? And he had a daughter. She'd grow up without a mother. The pain inflicted within him was a burning he wished he could extinguish._

 _With teary eyes and streams running down his face, Gajeel looked up out the window. He saw his empty reflection in the glass from the lights above him. Earlier in the day, the two of them had planned to spend the weekend together. In just a matter of hours, his life was turned upside down. His dreams were shattered. How was he going to do this life alone? He didn't want to, though he knew he would because of Penny. His daughter might not have a mother, but she had a father._

 _He sucked in a ragged breath._


	6. Patience

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

 **Storyline** : [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemon]

*Rated Mature - There is language and violence, some lemon as well.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - By Patience**

Gajeel guided the patrol car down the gravel drive. A tire hit a dip in the lane, causing the contents of one of the styrofoam cups in the cup holder to slosh upwards against their lids.

"Careful, shit…" Laxus hissed. His hand shot out to it to keep it upright. His other kept their take out orders from falling off his lap onto the floorboard below.

Gajeel searched the property for any sign of Levy. Her car was parked next to the house. He turned off the engine after coming to a stop beside it. The smell of food wafted through the vehicle and it made his stomach growl, but he didn't want to dig in just yet.

"You gonna eat?" Laxus asked him, opening his food container.

"In a minute."

He slid out and shut the door. Out of habit, he touched his gun belt as he casually strode around the front of the car. The sun reflected off the white car and he squinted as he scanned the fields. Dave said he'd been having a hard time with the gelding, so the pair of them had to be in one of the fenced-in pastures.

Spotting them in the far corner of the closest field, a sense of ease settled on him. The large, black horse stood squarely, his tail swishing against his body. He seemed calm and unconcerned with his small visitor; Levy was sitting cross-legged some feet away facing him. It looked like an uneventful day for the both of them.

Gladiolus noticed him at the fence. His black head lifted slightly and his ears perked up. Levy turned to glance over her shoulder. An excited pang erupted from her stomach at the sight of the cop from the other day.

The horse turned his head to her and watched her stand up and stretch. He didn't react, he simply kept his calm demeanor as before the officer had arrived. Levy waved to Gajeel and started towards the drive. With the fence several yards before her, she heard a slow, steady sound behind her. Her lips turned up a little.

She halted without turning, staring at her feet and listened.

The sound abruptly stopped.

Taking five steps forward, Levy then halted again. The sound had followed her the few seconds before it too stopped. Slowly, she began to face the horse she knew was shadowing her. Lifting her eyes to gaze at the gelding, Levy murmured to him, telling him that he was a good boy and was beginning to see she was his friend.

He watched her as his black ears flicked back and forth, blowing gentle breaths out of his large nostrils. When she started to lift her hand out past her waist, he tensed and took a step backward. The bluenette froze, still murmuring. She slowly dropped her hand and turned away from the beast to meet up with the officer patiently waiting for her.

"Hello Officer Redfox." She said pleasantly as she came up to him. Her lips turned up at the corners as she greeted him.

"Please, call me Gajeel." He replied kindly. He couldn't stop the smile growing on his face. He leaned an arm up on the fence rung. He nodded towards the horse behind her. "Making any progress?"

Levy's face lit up. "I think so. I've been sitting with him for an hour or so every day."

"Just sitting?" Gajeel let his eyebrow raise in question.

"Yea," she nodded. "He's starting to trust me. Today is the first time he followed me like that."

He glanced at the horse. "And following is a good thing?"

She nodded again with a small giggle. "Yea. Horses are herd animals. They'll follow a friend. Once he lets me touch him, I can start to work more with him."

Gajeel's gaze shifted from her to the horse standing several yards behind. He watched them, then lowered his head to the ground. His muzzle lipped at the grass by his hooves. Gajeel's red eyes shifted back to the woman before him.

Quickly looking away, her lips moved to the side as her eyes fluttered upwards to him. Gajeel's smile widened a bit; he had just caught her staring. "Hey, you hungry?" He asked suddenly.

"Erm, yea. I haven't eaten today."

He checked the watch on his wrist and gave her a look. "It's after 2pm."

She gave a nervous smile before putting her boot on the lowest fence rung to climb. He calmly backed a few steps and waited for her. Forcing his eyes to stay away from her curvy body, he tried to focus on her face. She wore a simple tank top, bootcut jeans, and tan Ariat boots. Nothing flashy about her, though she was the only thing Gajeel could look at.

"I may stand out if we go anywhere other than Dave's." She carefully expressed, feeling her hair. She picked out a long piece of hay as she walked along beside Gajeel towards the patrol vehicle.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I brought it to you."

Levy's face shot to him. "Really?"

He rounded the hood to open the door and retrieved the plastic bag containing their takeout. The passenger window began to roll down and Laxus hung his arm out. He lifted his hand in greeting. "Hey Levy. Nice to see ya."

"Hello Officer." Levy replied with a smile.

Laxus opened the door to slide out. He sipped at the white cup in his hands. "Can I use your bathroom?"

She motioned to the brick house with a nod. "Yea, it's down the hall. You'll see it."

He lifted his cup to her in thanks with his lips pressed together then turned to leave the two of them to their lunch. With a quick glance at Gajeel -who ignored his exaggerated grin- Laxus walked up the small porch steps to the door closest to the drive.

Gajeel presented their lunch to her, holding the bag. "Stopped by the cafe for our break and Dave told me you were here."

Shoving her hands in her back pocket, Levy squinted at him against the sun before looking down at the plastic bag he had placed on the car's hood. "That was thoughtful. You didn't have to do that."

"It gives me a chance to see you," Gajeel admitted. He handed her a white container and opened his. "Are horses your favorite animal then?"

Levy took it and leaned her backside on the car beside him. "They always have been. I had some growing up with my mom until a few years ago. I've missed being around them." She took a bite of her sandwich.

He took a sip of his soda. His trained eyes saw the hurt flash in her hazel ones before she quickly hid it within. He spoke up. "At least you get to work with one now. What did you do before coming to Crawford?"

Again, Gajeel saw the hurt -and a small bit of panic- briefly show. She took a deep breath while she chewed her food, pausing to answer. "I worked at a market for a few months before moving on to a farm store for a while. T-then I came here."

He noticed the stutter but chose to ignore it. "What's your mom do?"

Levy's stopped chewing, feeling too uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading. "She died about three years ago."

Gajeel pursed his lips, glad that Levy continued to eat while he got a grip on the sudden flare of emotion in his chest. He knew how hard that had to have been on her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

She smiled, shrugging it off as she ate. He swore he saw her eyes glistening. Swallowing, Levy changed the subject. "How long have you been a police officer?"

"Almost four years."

"Anything interesting happen since joining the force? Large drug busts? Street racing gangs to arrest?" She lifted her eyebrow with her slight tease.

He let out a chuckle. "Not that big. Not yet, anyway. But it's been busy enough," he gently knocked her arm with his elbow. "There's plenty of random cars showing up on properties to investigate."

She smiled again before lifting up her drink, breaking eye contact. "What's this?"

"Sweet tea."

"Did Dave tell you it was my favorite?" She teased again.

Gajeel immediately grinned, shifting against the hood. "Nah. I took a wild guess."

Her eyes met with his with a smile while she sipped. The contact made them both glance away, unsure what to talk about or do. He struggled not to fidget with his hands in the silence. It wasn't uncomfortable to be around Levy; she was beautiful but he was also out of practice when it came to romance. And he wasn't even sure if the occasion counted as romantic.

The door to the house opened and Laxus walked out. He tugged on his belt and approached them, walking down the steps. "Does your cousin have well water?" he asked aloud.

"Yea."

Laxus nodded as he face twisted in distaste. "I thought so."

Gajeel turned to him. "Don't like country water?"

"It tastes how a fart smells," he answered. He held up his cup he had refilled at the kitchen faucet to stare at it with disdain.

Standing beside Gajeel, Levy began to giggle. She tried to hold it in but a look at his surprised face at his partner's statement caused it to break through in a laugh.

"You aren't the only one who thinks that. Dave brings jugs of water home from the cafe."

Laxus nodded again with a smile spreading his face. "I would hope so. That is some god-awful crap."

Gajeel leaned against the car with his arms crossed over his chest, his insides light as air at the sound of the girly giggles. In the moment, time seemed to slow down. It was just him seeing everything there that could be seen; Levy's beautiful face with her smile, he could visualize her with his daughter. What a sight it would be to see his Penny laughing and interacting with the only woman he had ever thought of in a romantic way since the accident. At least he hoped it could be romantic. He liked Levy.

The blond officer checked the watch on his wrist to note the time. He looked at Gajeel. "Break ends in ten."

Hearing the comment, Levy picked up her drinking cup. She caught Gajeel's stare with a small smile. "Thank you for lunch. It was nice to talk with you. I'm grateful for some friendly faces around here."

"Likewise" was all Gajeel could muster.

He was afraid to say the wrong thing. He had already mentioned her mother, which was innocent on his part. It seemed as though from just talking with her and observing her mannerisms, that Levy had been through something. Had seen a lot. Stuff a young adult shouldn't have to go through.

She was already walking away towards the fence when Gajeel spoke up. He knew Laxus was wanting to head back to down to finish out the rest of their shift, but took a few steps towards her anyways.

"What are you doing next week?" He asked, gaining some confidence.

Levy halted and turned, her boots sliding on the loose grit. Her heart beat a little faster and her eyes saw that he had come a few steps after her. "Um, I don't know yet. Probably working at the cafe. Isn't that when Founder's Day is for Crawford?"

"Yea, it's next Friday. I'm off work for it too."

Levy's lips twitched, though she successfully felt the grin creeping in as he continued.

"If you aren't working, would you like to come with me?"

She briefly hesitated. "Come with you to what exactly?"

He relaxed a bit as he explained. While he did so, he noticed the way she stood. A defense stance. "It's a festival, much like the Fourth of July festival every year. There's vendors set up on the courtyard square."

She had never been to a Founder's Day festival. It sounded fun, but also alive with many people in one place. She wasn't too good with crowds full of strangers. However, looking at the very attractive man she had slowly been accustomed to over the last weeks, she felt as though she would be safe enough. After all, he was part of the police department.

"Sure. That sounds like an interesting outing. You can meet me at the cafe the day of," she breathed in reply. She was curious about the event, but even more about the man who had kindly brought her lunch and dined with her on his break. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, then she turned to walk back to the fence.

When he returned to the car and slipped into the passenger seat, Laxus saw his pleased expression. "What did you ask her?" He started the engine.

Gajeel tried not to stare at her as she climbed over the fence and approached the horse. "She's coming with me to the Founder's festival."

The man met Gajeel's eyes. "She didn't turn you down?"

"No. Why would she? We eat at the cafe almost every day on the job. I'm sure she knows our orders from memory." Gajeel snorted.

Laxus voice was serious. "I'm surprised she didn't say no. That's a woman who's been through some kind of hell. I'm sure you've noticed." He backed the car up and pulled away down the long drive, glancing into the rearview.

"Yea. I did," Gajeel stated. He had seen the uncertainty, the wariness in her eyes at various times while they had spoken. Something indeed haunted her. Her mother's death perhaps? Maybe something unknownst to him. "I don't want to push her into anything. I asked fully expecting the other option."

Laxus glanced at him before pulling out onto the road. "Like I said. Seems like you both have some scarring that hasn't healed yet."

Gajeel shook his head and frowned, though he knew his partner was right. There was a lot of healing left for him to do even after two years. He hadn't exactly moved on. It was difficult for him to think about it. And having to care for Penny and put her needs before his own, he didn't know how to begin dating a woman that wasn't her mother.

He glanced into his side mirror. Dave's property rolled by in it as they headed back into town. He caught a glimpse of Levy and the horse before they disappeared out of view. "I can see why you think that."

Laxus snorted. "Well I lived it with you, so you can't bullshit me. But having worn the uniform for almost five years, I know a look when I see one and she had one. It's one reason I asked to go inside the house."

"Wait, what?" Gajeel's head snapped to his driving partner.

"I did have to go. But I had a good look around before and after."

"You went snooping through Dave's house?" Gajeel shot him a glare.

The blond shrugged. "Relax. I didn't touch anything that important."

"That's still a violation of privacy."

"It's smart is what it is," Laxus said as he risked another glance as he drove. "It's how I found out about the water. Curious?"

Gajeel frowned again, not comfortable with the idea of his work partner looking through a friend's personals. But he nodded.

 _Laxus entered the house through the side door. The sounds of the other two still talking was muffled by the closing of the glass door. Sunlight streamed in from the windows. The officer found himself in the kitchen._

 _The bright room was kept clean; the counters were wiped down and clear of clutter, a floor mat was in place where he stood before the doorway and a rug was in front of the sink. Laxus silently gazed over the refrigerator doors, the stove, and other appliances. He set his empty cup on the table and glided through the kitchen into the hallway._

 _His blue eyes swept over the few photos that hung on the wall. Most were of Dave, his mother, father, brother, sister, and their horses. One was of his 4-H days in the show ring at the local fairgrounds. There was one across from the bathroom of what looked like his sister many years prior sitting against a backdrop holding a baby._

 _He frowned. Laxus had lived there the majority of his life. He knew Dave's sister, Rachel. To his knowledge, she had never had a child. After that frame, the wall towards the far end of the hall held pictures of the horses bred on the farm and of the property from the air._

 _Turning, Laxus entered the bathroom, closing the door to a small crack. He looked around while he went. Like the kitchen, it was kept neat and tidy. The shower curtain was spread over the rod. The window had matching blue curtains. For a bachelor who lived alone -until recently- he kept the place clean. Almost like he had a maid._

 _Washing his hands, the officer took his time. He stared into the mirror at his badge. The large mirror was anchored away from the wall. He felt around its side and gently pulled, revealing a hidden medicine cabinet behind the mirror._

 _Extra hand soap, cotton swabs, combs, toothpaste, over the counter painkillers, and other various items one would see in the bathroom were stored there. Nothing Laxus could see as suspicious. He pushed the mirror's edge back to click it back into place and left the room._

 _Curiosity got the better of him. Instead of heading back to the kitchen, Laxus quickly took a right that led to the back rooms. Keeping his hands on his belt, Laxus peered into a room. The bed at the far end was made. A laundry basket off to the side was filled haphazardly with clothing. An orange backpack -all pockets zippered- was carefully set next to the nightstand. A pink iPod and earbuds were next to the lamp on it, the cord wrapped around the device._

 _It was the room Levy was staying in. He slowly walked in. There was a closed journal on the desk next to the door. Pens and pencils were separated and in holders. Aside from the laundry basket, everything in the room was organized. It all was precisely where she had left it._

 _Something stirred in the officer's chest. His mind recalled the past written tests all officers were required to take. A particular section of the psychology study guide the class had used came to mind as he surveyed the items present. Nothing was seemingly out of order. Everything clean, that is._

 _He walked over to the white basket in the corner. Dried mud was still on the blue jeans. At the sight, he pursed his lips, quickly looking around at the rest of the room._

 _He wasn't positive, but he was fairly sure something traumatic had happened to Levy. How recent, he didn't know. It had only been a few weeks since they had come to the property to investigate what was now her vehicle and in that short time, he and Gajeel had become a welcome and familiar sight thanks to Dave's cafe. If he had to guess, whatever had happened had driven her to come here to this house. To this county._

 _There was definitely a lot more he would never know unless she told someone. Suddenly there was an uncomfortable air about the bedroom. The thought of something bad happening to their acquaintance, Laxus couldn't stay in that room any longer than he had to._

 _He turned and left, not bothering with snooping in further towards the other back room. He had learned quite enough. Entering the kitchen again, he grabbed his cup and walked over to the sink to refill. One sip and Laxus made a face. He turned off the water, which smelled as though the property had a sulfur problem, and headed back out._

 _Before he reached the glass door, Laxus noticed a lead rope hanging on the coat rack on the wall next to it. He looked out the glass at the black horse in the pasture. He didn't know much about horses, but it was evident that Levy and her family did. All throughout the house, the only things that tied the home to the farm were the horse pictures in the hall and the rustic decorations placed here and there. To him, it was odd to find a simple item not utilized where it was originally intended._

 _He opened the door to walk outside without a second thought._


	7. Chance

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

Storyline: [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemon]

 ***** Rated Mature - There is intense language, drug usage, violence, and sexual content.

 ***** I do not own any of the media.

 ***** I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

 **AN** : Uploaded on my birthday. Yeahh buddy.

Some of this is based on actual events from my hometown. It made it easier to write, picturing the place I grew up and the place I worked for a while. And I know horses so that wasn't too hard either.

ALSO, I'm going to put a slight trigger warning up, but from now on, please consider this whole story as perpetually tagged with a trigger warning. I feel like some of this could be sensitive stuff for certain readers. Even I cringe a bit as it sort of feels a little like the Law And Order: SVU type sometimes. It'll have more of that feeling as the story progresses.

* * *

 **Chapter 6 - By Chance**

The deserted, woody back roads were eerily quiet in the darkness as he expertly backed up one of his prized possessions. The blue car's engine was silenced as it came to a stop on the loose gravel roadside. He switched off the headlights off and the shadows beyond swallowed up what had once been lit. Dark trees gave him cover from the fine mist that had begun to fall.

Liam clutched his phone to dial a number. When the voice on the other end picked up, he asked monotoned, "You sure he'll be here?"

" _Yea bro, Rhodes' good for it._ "

"He better. This location is fuckin' odd for a deal." He roughly huffed out, feeling the outline of the 9mm Beretta under his t-shirt with his thumb. When he was doing business alone, the pistol was his usual backup if things went south. Looking up at the rear view, Liam's eyes then flicked back to the windshield as he listened to the familiar voice on the other end.

" _It's all good, dude. Let me know when you're done_."

Liam clicked off the phone and continued to wait in the dark. About the time he settled comfortably against the door, the small dual flashes of headlights appeared in the distance. He sat up in the seat, his heart quickening and bringing him to an alert state of mind.

The twin yellow-white lights shone directly at his car until the vehicle backed up to out0 perpendicular on the side of the road as Liam had done. He opened the door and slid out, careful to stay next to the driver's door and keep his hands in view for the man he was about to meet; Liam doubted he trusted any of the buyers who came his way, so it was best to stay on the smart side.

The alive side.

A young looking man approached Liam after killing the vehicle's engine. He carried something small in his hand but it was hard to tell what it was from lack of light. He guessed it was the stuff.

"Smith?"

"Yea," Liam gave a quick tilt of his head at the usage of his last name, then looking at the man's hand, he spoke, "That it?"

Rhodes smirked. "All two ounces." He held it out to him, and also his other hand for a return.

Liam unemotionally fished the wad of cash out from his front pocket and placed it the face up palm, then took his baggie of illegal gain. He held it up to try to see it in the dim lighting and said, "I've never exchanged in the boonies before."

"Is that so." Rhodes relaxed a bit as he watch Liam carefully put the baggie in his pocket. "I'm surprised you haven't. It's the safest place to do one."

"Why?"

"Have you been to Crawford?" The dealer gave him a look and placed his hands on his hips below his belt. "That whole county is crawling with pigs. They've probably spent more on their department than they have their schools."

Liam knew that last part was most likely exaggerated, but he'd have to see it for himself to make a judgment. "Really. What kind of people live there then?"

Casually shrugging and crossing his arms over his chest, Rhodes said, "Farmers mostly. Rednecks. There's a few tiny ranches in the rural areas. Lots of cows and horses, smells of shit all the time. There's not much worth seeing if ya ask me."

"Yea."

Liam's reply might have been automatic, but his mind was already working. Not much worth seeing, his ass; where there were horses, there was a chance he'd find her. The thought of seeing Levy after two years gave him a new sense of excitement. He assumed because of what had happened with them that she'd put in a lot of distance.

Why hadn't he thought of looking just two counties over?

He emerged from his dark thoughts, remembering to reply. "You live there. What's that say about you?"

The man snorted. "That I'm a dumbass. But a clever one when it comes to evading the cops," he said. Uncrossing his arms, he turned to head back to his car. "Despite the heavy presence, it doesn't stop illegal operations, thankfully."

That statement piqued Liam's interest. He called out before the dealer could reach the vehicle. "What other kind of operations are there?"

The blond halted and half-turned, narrowing his eyes once again before turning completely around to face him. It was odd that he asked for specific answers to questions about the prohibited activities in which he himself participated. With his hand poised at his side, Rhodes frowned and asked, "Why you wanna know? You some kinda nark?"

Liam knew there was a gun hidden somewhere on the guy's person. A drug dealer usually packed some form of heat on these kinds of occasions. He raised his hands in front of him, shaking his head, then gestured to himself. "What? No, no, do I fuckin' look like a nark?! I was askin' 'cause I might be in the market, depending on what else you've got."

The poised hand dropped and the dealer glanced from the uncommon buyer to the blue souped up car, then back. There was money in cars. It seemed as though there had already been some invested into the Nissan. A lot more of it too if one raced and won on a regular basis.

His eyes were serious when he looked him in the eye and asked, "You run her on the black roads?"

A smile appeared on Liam's face.

* * *

 _Levy hummed to herself while she placed the last of the boot boxes on the shelf. The daunting task had caused her to work up a sweat even in the air conditioned building. She carefully climbed down the ladder and once her feet were on the shiny floor, she briefly admired her work._

 _The wall of shoe boxes were clean and organized, all in proper size groups, all of the display boots facing the same way on their platforms. Her eyes landed on a display of one dark brown Justins in her size. The price was ridiculous, she knew she would never make enough extra cash to buy them. Pulling herself away, Levy began to tear down the tall ladder to take it to the back._

 _The farm store manager had been good to her since she started three months earlier. He hadn't had any other place for her except at the register, but she was soon moved to stocking when another employee turned in their two-weeks. It meant that they'd hire a new employee to take over Levy's old position. Levy was glad; the new hire could take over standing all day and man the phone and overhead pager._

 _She hummed the country song playing overhead as she slowly toted the ladder through one of the main aisles. Another employee having just started the 1:00 pm afternoon shift straightened his red work vest. He saw her and offered to help. "Hey Levy. I can take that back for ya."_

" _It's ok, Steven, I've got it," she said breathlessly. Her grip tightened on the folded metal. He was just being polite, but she could honestly do it herself._

 _He said nothing as she continued towards the double doors he had just come through, only looking over his shoulder before going to work. She was a hard-working draft horse set in a tiny frame of a woman. There was plenty of spirit lodged somewhere within._

 _Once her current task was fully complete, Levy immediately started on another stocking mission, taking a skid of equine equipment to the appropriate aisles. She drowned herself in her work. Her thoughts were as usual all over the place, from what she was doing in the moment to what she'd be able to buy with her next paycheck, to hoping that she'd never again have a run in with anyone harboring ill-intentions._

 _She felt safe at least. With nowhere to go really, she made herself available every day, all day if need be for any work shifts. Staying with a few friends she knew had moved to this town after graduation, Levy had a temporary roof over her head, though she preferred to be out during the day. People she didn't know -men especially- made her nervous. Levy didn't trust her friend's boyfriend who lived there either. Not fully._

 _Not really at all._

 _There was doubt she'd ever meet someone else who won over any trust still left in her._

 _She had had a major part of her ripped out against her will that night, and even now it the memories were still fresh. The single decision had ruined her in more ways than one. She had no real home to go to, her only friend gone as well. Although no one would know it by how she spoke, Levy felt disgusting. She felt completely worthless. How could one action define her so? How could it make her hate who she was? Surely there would be no happy ending for her, no marriage or kids, like how she had planned in her teenage years. Now the mere thought of getting pregnant threatened to make her sick._

 _Huffing, she ordered the tears in her eyes to disappear so she could focus on her job. When she finished transferring the merchandise from the skid to the shelves, the overhead pager went off. "I need a team member to the front, a team member to the front."_

 _Levy rounded the corner and bumped into the guy from earlier. He apologized before adding, "I'll take that, you go up there."_

 _She followed his hand as it took hold of the skid loader's steering column. "Thanks," she replied, then turned to leave him in the aisle._

 _At the register area was a customer waiting at the counter with one of the cashiers. The woman wore worn down jeans and faded, dusty boots housed her feet, graced the bottom. Through the sliding glass doors and windows of the vestibule, Levy could see a black and silver four-horse slant hauled by a black Ford dually parked towards the back of the lot, where there was more room to let the horses tethered inside to walk around safely. Though now as she looked at it, there were two muzzles sticking out of the open trailer windows._

 _As she approached, the cashier smiled. "Levy's the girl for you, ma'am."_

" _What can I help you with?" Levy asked pleasantly._

 _The woman looked at her. "I bought a few bales of straw and some fence posts and panels I need help loading," she said, then gave Levy a quick once over. "Have you any experience with horses?"_

 _Levy fought the urge to laugh and managed a small smile. She replied humbly, "Yes, I grew up with them."_

" _Ah, good," the customer said. "I need someone's opinion on grain…"_

 _Levy spent the next half hour talking to the horsewoman about the different horse feed they supplied and what she had used when she had owned her own, and the next twenty helping her load the other rather large items into the bed of her truck._

" _Do you know how far it is to Taylorsville from here?" the woman asked nonchalantly. She secured the bungee cords to the truck bed and then turned to look at Levy._

 _The bluenette looked up to the sky before returning to the woman. "Um, I've never been out there, but I believe it's about four hours west."_

" _I thought so."_

 _Levy caught her eye. "Are you going to a show?"_

 _The woman palmed her truck keys. "No, going camping out in the state park there for a while."_

" _That will be fun," Levy commented with a smile._

" _Yea." The woman threw a thumb over her shoulder at the trailer. "You wanna help me walk them? I don't want them getting stiff if they're gonna be in there for four more hours."_

 _Much to her surprise at having been asked, she nodded before swallowing. There was a nervous excitement building up inside at finally -after several months without- touching and leading her favorite animal._

 _Her chest ached when she breathed in the familiar and comfortable scent of leather and hay, that distinct smell of horse. It was as if she had never been without; she spoke to the grey mare as if she had always been her owner, expertly backing her out of the trailer with the right amount of authority, enough for the beast to obey without balking in confusion._

 _Levy led the grey up the lot and turned to the left in the beginning of a large circle. She spoke to her as she lightly gripped the leadline, her slender fingers tracing small ovals on the mare's smooth neck. "You're such a pretty girl. So regal…"_

 _The grey mare raised her head, ears pricked forward, large brown eyes gazing at her new surroundings. There was no nervousness, no alarm in those eyes. She moved her muzzle as she quietly and calmly licked, then swung her head towards Levy and gently blew her hot breath onto her skin through a large nostril._

 _Levy's eyes began to water. The painful sentiment gripped her soul yet again._

 _The mare was a tall one, her withers at Levy's eyeline. She looked more like she had Thoroughbred in her than Quarter Horse as the owner had mentioned. Her long, black legs were sturdy under the thick body, her pasterns conformationally at the right angle, as well as her neck and back. It was apparent the horse was well bred._

 _It was her head that held Levy's attention. It was so beautiful, so proportional, so like the last horse she had owned. Right down to the coat color. The only differences were darker points on the legs and this one was a mare, not a gelding._

 _Levy fought the tears as they threatened to spill over her lower lashes. Her lungs took in another deep breath of the scent she had missed, silently praying that one day she'd have enough stability and the means to buy another._

 _The mare ducked her head down to the pavement, the action bringing Levy from her thoughts. Bringing her fingers to her eyes and wiping the salt water away, she forced herself to smile and tugged the lead, signaling for her to follow. Levy was in her own world alongside the grey. The closer they got to the trailer, the more anxious Levy became. None of her wanted to give back the horse._

 _It was in her blood. She wasn't just a horse person, she was a horsewoman. The skills her mother had instilled in her at such a young age hadn't left her, nor would they no matter how long it would be until she was able to utilize them again. Today was a good day, a happy fluke to jumpstart her memories, however bittersweet they were._

 _Knowing she had to, Levy reluctantly transferred the red lead rope into the customer's outstretched hand and thanked her for the kindness. She ran her hand down the length of the mare as she walked back to the store. Her hand slipped off the smooth hindquarters into the air behind the horse. The smile left her when she realized it._

 _Just like her hand, it was as if her life had fallen to the depths and into nothingness._

* * *

The small bell on the door jingled. Glancing up in time to see the familiar face walking through the front entrance, Levy stopped wiping the table, dropping the wet rag into the sani-bucket. An unbidden smile showed her white teeth. "Well hello Officer," she greeted pleasantly.

She watched as Gajeel strode further into the establishment. It was not very often that she saw the man in regular clothes outside of his shifts; she had gotten used to seeing him in the all black uniform. He pulled his sunglasses up from his eyes to perch on top of his head. "Levy," he spoke pleasantly in return, clearly happy to see her. "How many times do I need to remind you to call me Gajeel?"

The friendly tease in his voice was noted as she let her eyes roam over his attractive facial features. Over the last weeks, their small banter had become how they greeted each other. It was fun for him and easy for her. It wasn't something he expected her to do, she knew, but it was easier this way. For one, it kept her from getting too familiar with him, no matter if he was a cop.

She was not nervous around the man though. For the first time in two years, she was not anxious in the presence of a manly man.

"At least once more," she replied, the smile spreading further across her face. She picked up the red cleaning bucket by the handle and made her way behind the front counter. "Give me a few minutes to clean up and then we can go."

Gajeel nodded silently and followed her with his eyes as he took a seat at the counter, pulling the stool inward as he sat. She left the room, disappearing into the back room and kitchen. There wasn't many people in despite the festivities across the street. From where he was situated, Gajeel could see the tents and vendors, the people walking through the center square to the various weekend sales.

He was looking forward to taking Levy across the street it would be an opportunity to get to know her somewhat. It felt like he was several years younger and still in high school, taking a girl he just met out on a date. Only he was the one who had a curfew; with Mira ending up more fatigued than usual with her first pregnancy, he was sure Penny would unintentionally be a handful and exacerbate her symptoms, and he would undoubtedly have to pick up his toddler before it got too late in the night.

Which also meant taking Levy home early. As much as he liked the woman, he didn't want to tell her about Penny's existence just yet. About his past she would unknowingly bring up. It happened over two years prior, but that didn't mean the pain was gone.

Gajeel turned to see Dave appear from the back. He called out to him, "Hey Dave."

"Hey." The cafe owner waved and came over. "How's work going for ya?"

"Been busy as usual. You know, crime never sleeps. Glad for the day off though," Gajeel answered with a small grin. There was always a chance that he'd get called in on his scheduled days off. It was best to make the most of them when he did get them. He turned the conversation over. "Business going alright?"

The blond man made a slight sound with his mouth and looked out the window towards the busy courtyard square. "It is. Slow at the moment with the festival this weekend, but there's always a decent turn out later on at the end," Dave answered honestly. His gaze returned to Gajeel as he finished speaking.

"Well, you can always expect me and Laxus on a regular work basis." Gajeel leaned his arms on the counter.

"Right," the man snorted with a rough smirk. He crossed his arms as he stood across from Gajeel. His voice turned a hint more serious. "Levy's been talking."

That statement made the officer turn slightly on his stool towards Levy's cousin. It could have been about anything. He only glanced up at Dave. "Has she," he noted.

He nodded. "About how much she's been enjoying her conversations with you here." He motioned to the empty space beside him as he spoke about the diner as a whole.

Gajeel just nodded, blinking. "Good, I'm glad."

He may have been unchanging in his appearance, but inside a smile was growing. He could feel it deep in his chest. Not that he had been trying too hard with her, he had let the casual conversations at the diner during his break hours be his only real interactions with her up until their impromptu lunch date. Though he had noticed that it was now easier to draw up a smile onto her lips. The knowledge of that left him a bit speechless.

Dave brought his volumed down enough for only the officer to hear. "Yea, me too. How's Penny been? Is she doing ok?"

"She's a handful. And growing like a damn weed. But she's been doing great. She's learning to say more words, though her favorite is still 'no'," Gajeel lovingly recalled.

He loved talking about his child. There had been past occasions that he'd brought her to the cafe, when she was an infant and later for her second birthday, and everyone who'd seen her commented on how much she looked like either him or his late wife. Though he was hoping Levy would not overhear their conversation. He didn't feel like explaining that part of his past to her at this point.

It seemed as if the man across from him was going to say something in return, but he was cut off as Levy approached. He shut his mouth and gave Gajeel a glance, something in a conversation that went without saying. He straightened up off the tabletop, turning to his cousin.

He noticed her change of clothing, from drab work pants and shirt to the orange and yellow tank top and jean shorts. He smirked. "Hey, who said you could change, hmm? Shift doesn't end for another three minutes."

"Ha ha," Levy chimed and ignored Dave's attempt to be funny with a slight eye roll.

Gajeel also noticed the evident difference in her attire. His red eyes quickly roamed appreciatively over her colorful and curvy form, settling onto her face before noticing she had turned to face him. Her eyes were bright, seemingly capable of piercing through the weak reserve he had hastily constructed when she had walked up on them.

Without looking away from her, he asked, "You ready to go?"

She hummed her affirmation, adding, "Yes, if Dave will let me. I don't know how he's going to manage with how busy it is." Her hand gestured to the empty dining area with a sly grin.

Her comment cracked Gajeel's face at the mouth. He found she had a good sense of humor -when she wasn't on the defense. The young woman seemed at ease.

"I suppose it's ok. Go before I change my mind." Dave winked and left them alone, heading to the back through the kitchen entry. He had no intention of keeping them apart; he thought they were a good match, for many reasons.

While Levy rounded the counter to meet him, the off-duty police officer slid off the stool to stand. He immediately noticed the height difference. The top of her head stopped at his chest. Seeing her in shorts and her Ariats -especially the skin of her legs showing in between- was an unexplainable, and frankly, unexpected turn on.

"So what are we doing first?" Levy inquired, stuffing her hands in her back pockets. Her hazel eyes gazed up at him as she waited patiently by his side.

Mentally shaking away thoughts that could turn down a darker, inappropriate path, Gajeel looked down at the black watch on his wrist. "Well, we're just in time for the annual Water Ball fight."

"Water Ball? What's that?"

He let out a small snort, grinning at her understandable confusion. "Ah, it's kinda weird to those who haven't lived here. You'll just have to watch."

"Is it a big thing in this town?" She asked as they started for the exit. He reached for the door and held it open for her.

"Yea, sorta."

Levy's lips curved upwards. The excitement of a new atmosphere threatened to tumble out of her as she followed him out onto the wide sidewalk, staying fairly close to his muscular body without actually touching. He chose to stay close to the cafe's entrance so they could watch the fights that were about to take place from the awning above.

The ends of the street were blocked by yellow wooden saw horses and the grounds around the castle-like courthouse were packed with tent canopies and throngs of festival-goers. The smell of freshly fried corn dogs and other fair-type foods wafted to their noses. Those booths must have been what Dave had been meant by business being unusually slow.

There was a crowd gathering on the business fronts within view of the street, and two fire engines were parked at either end. Two tow trucks were similarly parked in the middle of the main strip with a connecting cable strung high and taunt in the air between them. A large metal ball on rollers was mounted on the cable. A fireman without the town department's faded gold overcoat used a hook pole to move the ball to the center for the fight to begin.

It was all too strange a sight for the bluenette.

"Ok, you have to tell me what's going on," Levy said as she watched the scene.

Chuckling, Gajeel nodded and began as the two diesel engines of the fire trucks fired up. "It's a Crawford tradition, I'm not sure how it all started. Us and the surrounding counties lend a team of firemen for a friendly competition. The trucks are hooked up to the hydrants. They aim the water at the ball to move it along the cable. Whoever gets the ball to a certain point on the other team's end wins. The fights only last about five minutes each, then the last two in the brackets battle for ten. There's a trophy at the end."

"A trophy? Like the tall and shiny kind?" Levy's mouth fell open, the smile still visible at the corners of her lips.

"Hell yea, there's a tall and shiny trophy. You know how much that ball weighs?" He pointed to the metal ball on the cable. "There's a lot of skill involved when it comes the Water Ball fight. Firemen are underappreciated in general. This is just a fun town thing. But they take it seriously. And the ladies get a show at least."

She followed his eyes to three girls ogling the participating firemen and the one sitting just inside the passenger seat at the truck's front end. She hummed as she glanced to the men and back, then said, "I guess so."

Gajeel eyed Levy, seeing what she'd do. He was interested in potentially dating Levy exclusively, having taken a liking to her the first day he'd met her. But until he got a sense of who she was and where she's been, these types of outings would tell him more about his objective. He didn't want just anyone around his daughter. She turned back to him with a contented smile and went back to watching the match, never giving them a second glance.

He liked this woman more and more each day.

Two teams of four firemen held a hose from the trucks, aimed in the air. The only fire gear they wore were their golden work trousers and boots, their navy department t-shirts donned under the criss-crossed suspenders that held up their pants. A pop of a cap gun signaled the start.

Water shot out of the nozzles to make contact with the metal with a dull ring. As the water hit the ball, it began to spin up around the cable line, with the front men on the hose doing their best to guide the stream around with it. The scent of water in the air was as if it had rained. Small rainbows appeared with the sunlight. Children of the families present jumped off the sidewalks laughing as the spray misted onto them. Soon a steady flow of leftover water poured down the street in little rivers until pooling near the curb.

Levy observed it all with a sense of awe. She had never heard or witnessed something so strange, yet so stress relieving, so relaxing. The water making its mark on the metal, the metallic sounds of it and the firemen shouting to each other, even the sounds of the children's carefree laughter and play settled deep within her. It calmed her, gave her a sense of home and what it was like. The townspeople took this time -and the festival weekend- to spend time together, to converse and take a break from life's everyday struggles.

The warm feeling relaxed Levy so heavily, she unconsciously leaned her shoulder into Gajeel's side.

He stood there feet apart as wide as his shoulders with his arms crossed over his chest, intently taking in the fight. Surprised at slight weight of her touch caused Gajeel to glance down. Still as a tree, he let her stay like that and his eyes returned to the mesmerizing vision of metal and transparent sprays against the sky. He fought the grin that Levy unknowingly brought him.

By the time the first fight was finished, the children were almost completely soaked due to the intense misting, and they stomped their feet in the street puddles. The blacktop's tiny rivers would undoubtedly become oceans as the evening progressed.

Levy shivered as she spied several miniature rainbow segments in the air. Another set of teams assumed their positions on the hoses, ready for the next match. His voice rumbled as he spoke. "This will last about an hour, so we got time to catch the last few rounds if ya wanna walk through the courtyard a bit."

She straightened up from his side when she heard his distorted voice, looking down at her feet in embarrassment. When had she leaned against him? And why didn't he say anything? A blush threatened to heat her cheeks. "Y-yea. That sounds fun."

"Are you hungry?" He considered her for a moment. Red eyes held a unique concern, one that Levy deemed sincere and hadn't really seen from anyone else aside from her mother.

It took her by surprise. For the longest time, she had thought that she wasn't worth the time, that she wasn't special. Mike had never given her a look anywhere close to resembling the one the officer was expressing. Towards her.

He brushed it off when she broke the eye contact, looking at the wet pavement. His voice was low and gentle. Despite the loud surrounding activity, Levy could hear him clearly. "If you want something, let me know. I'm getting a burger."

To her further surprise, Gajeel waited for her before walking off in search of a food stand. He never rushed her, never said a word. Only stood there gazing at her until she stepped towards him.

 _What's the matter with you_ , Levy thought to herself. She struggled not to be that unsure, shy girl she had been prior to coming to this rather charming town and its inhabitants. _He's going to think you're too odd._

Once they were across the street, Gajeel led the way towards a small line of people waiting at a food vendor. The smells of cooking grub danced through the air. Levy's stomach fiercely growled, and her hand came up to her belly as if it could stop the sound from happening.

"You sure you don't want something?"

Levy politely turned Gajeel's offer down, sweetly smiling as she stood beside him. When he tilted his head up to look at the menu, she risked a glance at his thick arms. It was a no brainer that he worked out; one did not miraculously get that muscular without it. She guessed it was in the job description.

She barely brought her gaze up when the handsome officer narrowed his eyes down at her. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Ahh, on my lunch break earlier. You don't have to though, I'm-"

Gajeel interrupted her as he took out his wallet and stepped to the window. He looked at her. "You like pretzels right?"

Levy wanted to crawl into a hole. The man didn't have to do this. "Gajeel, it's fine, don't-"

"I need a cheeseburger, a soft pretzel with cheese, and a water, please," he said to the worker. The man repeated the order out loud of the two behind him and took the money to hand back the change.

Red now appeared in Levy's cheeks. She _was_ hungry and thankful that he bought her something, but she didn't want to eat in front of him. It was embarrassing as she was awkward. Too awkward though she wished she wasn't that way. What if she dropped the pretzel? Or get cheese on her nose? Her nervousness grew in the pit of her stomach.

Despite everything she knew in her heart -that no one cared what she looked like even if she did mess up- Levy's mind could not stop worrying about it.

Gajeel handed her the large pretzel and the water, then guided her to a nearby picnic table. A plastic cover protected the surface and made for easier clean up. Levy plopped down on the bench seat, and Gajeel did the same across from her. He took a bite of his sandwich before looking at her.

"You really didn't have to do that," Levy gently announced, shaking her head at him. Despite her discomfort, she allowed a small thankful grin.

He swallowed, obviously to her self-consciousness. "It's no problem. I'd rather you be overfull than hungry. And I didn't want you to feel weird while I stuff my face."

She was impressed with his consideration. Picking off a segment of pretzel, she began to eat. Amazingly, the edginess she thought she'd feel was not present. Inside there was a calm, a content. And she figured a lot of that was caused by the man in front of her.

They sat there for several minutes while they ate, listening to the sounds of the Water Ball fight and watching people walk up and down the pathway through the homemade craft and the jewelry booths.

Gajeel glanced to her as the sunlight shone through the leaves. The warm light illuminated her beautiful face. He had been debating whether or not to ask, simply because he didn't want to scare her away. If what Laxus had guessed last week was actually correct, it could cause her flight instincts to kick in.

He had worked past cases where most of the unfortunate victims of verbal abuse and physically violent crimes where women and children. He had no clue how anyone could even think to beat or verbally degrade someone else -another human being. In all the cases, he always pictured Penny. He couldn't help it. It pained him as a father. It wore down on him every time he stumbled upon those situations.

What if Levy was that kind of victim? Maybe she wasn't though? There were plenty of people in the world with that same soft-spoken spirit of hers that had very happy childhoods. He supposed she had had the same, though some were not always as lucky. However something in his gut told him to carefully regard the woman across from him.

He observed her now, thinking of what he could do for their next expedition. His eyes creased at the corners as he gave a genuine smile. "If this date goes well, do you think there could be another?"

His sudden question caught her off guard as she took a bite. Her hand overreached in her startle and the cheese covered bread bopped her on the nose before it ended up in her mouth. Quickly wiping it off, Levy frantically chewed until she was finished with it.

"T-this was a date?"

"Well," Gajeel paused as he stared at her. He had noticed the cheese she had successfully cleaned away but didn't think twice about it. "I'd like it to be, but it doesn't have to. It's up to you."

She watched him as he took another bite of the burger, confused. Why would he want to go on a date with her? Or on another, as he asked?

Looking at her pretzel, she bit her lip.

The man went back to eating the last bits of his sandwich. He had given her no reason not to trust him. It wasn't him then, she decided. It was her. Her dating experience was terrible as it was full of bad decisions and poor choices. Not to mention the last physical interaction that had been unwanted by all means… but it had been over two years since then.

She willed herself to change her view. She was now older and wiser, so she hoped. Had she not learned from her past mistakes? She knew she was more than them, but it was believing it, to getting over her faults to love herself.

What was the harm now? Why not see where it could go with the police officer? Since she had known him, Gajeel had been gentle and kind, every time she saw him he had seemed like he was in a relaxed mood -despite the stress of his busy occupation- and he was always smiling. He had a striking smile. He had good manners, was always polite and considerate. There actually was something about him that was distinctly soothing. It felt like he was living for someone else, not just himself. The exact opposite of her ex.

So why not?

Shifting her body on the bench, she opened her mouth. She was fairly sure her expression was a muddled mess. "Yes."

Hearing her simple answer, Gajeel's heart sped up. His lips curved upwards. "Yes to what?"

She silently took a breath, pausing before confirming. "Yes, there can be another one. Another date."


	8. Time

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

Storyline: [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemon]

 ***** Rated Mature - There is intense language, drug usage, violence, and sexual content.

 ***** I do not own any of the media.

 ***** I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima.

* * *

This is a shorter chapter, as I'm trying to get back into writing from a short break.

Thanks to ranunculus-fox for certain ideas that I'll be using in future chapters.

 _Elegy_ \- Brand X Music

 _Hourglass_ \- Brand X Music

 _Now or Never_ \- Audiomachine

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - With Time**

 _Gajeel listlessly sat at the kitchen table. Alone._

 _There was much to do. There were many people coming and going throughout the last few weeks. His tiny, weeks old newborn was sleeping peaceably in the living room. Unaware of recent events, that she had no mother._

 _How Gajeel envied her. How he wished he could forget._

 _He knew once she woke that she'd need him. And he'd try his best, as best as his wife would have. But he simply didn't care._

 _He barely had the energy to get out of bed, let alone anything else that needed his attention. Everything reminded him of Katherine, not just her personal belongings. The furniture, the simple act of walking through entryways into another room, even the smell of the house. It was all a deep pain in his chest. It pulled at his mind, at his heart. Heavy. Drowning him._

 _His eyes stung as he tried to escape it. Just for a moment, from the dark depths of inner turmoil to the choppy surface for a small breath of air._

" _Gajeel?"_

 _The voice was distant within the raging seas. He knew who it was, he couldn't move to acknowledge. He was still drowning._

" _Gajeel, I'm here. Your baby is crying," Mira said in a rush of breath. She quickly set her purse and coat down on a chair and went to Penny's side. Laxus' wife picked her up, trying to quiet the cries._

 _Mira gave Gajeel a long look as she made her way around the table to the fridge. She had pledged to care for Penny until her father had the strength to do it himself after the shock of the sudden loss and change wore off._

 _Tearing her eyes from him to warm up a bottle, Mira went to work. She had no children of her own yet. Perhaps that was why she volunteered to give her time. Her heart ached for the two of them, knowing it would be a difficult road ahead._

 _When she finally sat down across from him with a bottle to feed Penny, it was as she had suspected: an awkward silence._

 _Gajeel kept his eyes on the table's surface. He hadn't shaved since the night of her wake; his dark beard was a different sight, to say the least. Mira had never seen him grow one, given that his profession prohibited it. Now that he'd been given a leave of absence, he was trying to recover._

 _If trying was the right word._

" _How are you today?" she asked._

 _He sat unmovingly. Not even a finger moved._

 _Mira glanced to Penny as she ate before turning back to the man. "When was the last time she took a bottle?"_

 _Gajeel's eyes moved to the side. The damn woman was forcing him to interact. He didn't want to. "Few hours ago."_

 _She waited a moment. "How long had she'd been crying until I walked in?"_

 _He could feel his agitation rise. All he wanted was to be left alone while he licked his wounds. "Not long," he mumbled._ Please stop...

" _Do you know how long she's been sleeping at night? She needs-"_

" _I don't know, dammit!" Gajeel's voice rose to a near shout. He abruptly stood up, letting the chair scrape against the hardwood._

 _The loud voice startled Mira as it did Penny. The baby jumped from her comforted lull and immediately began crying. The bottle dropped to the blanket she was wrapped in. Mira warily watched Gajeel sulk, pacing across the kitchen flooring while she tried to soothe his frightened child. Whether he knew what he was doing or not, it made Mira nervous._

" _Ok," she said weakly. Not knowing what else to do, Mira remained quiet._

 _She noticed the house was beginning to go downhill. The trash needed to be taken out. Dishes were piled up. No doubt if that was, the laundry would be too. Gajeel simply didn't care enough to keep up with the daily routines. Mira wanted to temporarily take Penny to her house to make sure she was monitored as a newborn should, but she didn't want to potentially anger him further by taking his child away from his presence. Laxus had agreed._

 _The man had lost his wife. Taking his baby girl could further his emotional and mental downward spiral._

 _Gajeel quieted down, now having migrated to the living room. He stood unmoving next to the wall, staring at the pictures hanging there._

 _Mira's eyes began to water._

 _The atmosphere in the house was full of sorrow. It made whoever was present feel a sense of dread. With Penny now asleep in her arms, the woman carefully made her way through the silent home to lay her down in the crib that was set up in the living room._

 _The couch was a mess, full of throw pillows and blankets. The coffee table was littered with trash; food wrappers and soda cans, a few beer bottles. Mira frowned when her gaze flickered over them. Laxus had made sure his friend and coworker was responsible if only for the sake of the baby. It always made her nervous to leave Penny alone with her father, even though that was the way it should be. Family should be with family._

 _Turning from the wall, Gajeel faced her with a long sigh. She straightened from the crib and watched as he struggled to keep his composure._

" _Mira, I'm, I'm sorry," he started. He kept his head down and he saw the ugly stains on his three-day old shirt. Two fingers pinched the material out from his chest. "I'm sorry for-"_

" _Stop, it's ok. Don't apologize," Mira stated calmly. She started for his bedroom, knowing he wouldn't go in there just yet. There were things too painful, too early to bear witness again._

 _Having known Katherine well, Mira steeled herself as she entered their bedroom. There was a hint of Katherine's perfume still lingering. Sadness hit her in the face then, and she knew without a doubt that Gajeel had not the ability to enter. Even if he did, it would certainly not be for long and with dry eye. Katherine's essence was sealed there. It was in the entire house, though the bedroom was where Mira felt it the strongest._

 _She fetched him clean clothes and other hygienic items that she could find that might not be available in the bathroom. When she returned to him, she noticed his face was wet but said nothing. She acted as if she hadn't witnessed him crying. What else was there to do for a man in mourning?_

 _When Mira turned her back to him to check on Penny, Gajeel went into the other room to change into the fresh clothing. He knew he needed to shower, but it cost a certain amount of energy he didn't have. It had been awhile since he had eaten anything. He knew his body was starving, but there was no appetite. If he tried, he'd only retch._

 _Mira was waiting for him when he came back into the room. A smile slipped onto her face at the sight of his clean apparel. Now if he could shower and shave, there might be a small bit of progress. "There," she said quietly. "Do you have enough food here? I can go get you some-"_

" _No, don't bother. It'll go to waste…" Gajeel's expression fell once again, as did his shoulders._

 _Mira could see he was about to lose it again. His emotions were a roller coaster, constantly fluctuating as he worked himself into a mended state. Not even Gajeel knew how long it would take. And it would ultimately be up to him._

" _I'm sorry for yelling earlier…" he began again, his voice cracking at the end. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked at his socked feet._

 _What was he doing? He was about to cry. He never cried and not in front of others. Having another person around made him feel anxious. Mentally, he kicked himself for being weak. Alone it was ok. Alone he could deal in his own way. In silence. Self-medicating had never been his preference, though with the beer he could partially escape the present time; Katherine was then just a fading memory._

 _The police officer in him knew he shouldn't. Not with a baby in the house who needed him sober and alert. Gajeel was pulled in two different directions. Loyalty to Katherine and a separate kind of loyalty to Penny._

" _You have nothing to be sorry for, Gajeel, what you're going through, it's, it's too rough," Mira spoke softly. Sweetly._

 _His watery eyes shifted behind Mira to the crib, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness came over him. It had been felt many times over the course of the last few weeks, and after containing the unwanted feelings for so long, the floodgates could hold no more. His emotions broke through from the stormy seas within. The waves rolled over him._

 _His shoulders shook as the intensity of his sorrow came to light. "I-I don't know what to… what to do," his voice broke, and he sucked in a ragged breath. His mouth and facial features twitched. The more he fought it, the harder the wave came crashing down. "I don't know how, how to be… without her."_

 _She was unsure exactly what to do. Had this been a female friend, it would have been different. To see a grown man break down in such a normal, primitive way was alarming. The blond woman began to cry in her empathy. Hearing the desperation in his near whispers sent her instincts into overdrive. Before she had the chance to move towards him, Gajeel slowly sank to his knees. His body bent in his grief as soundless sobbing wracked him._

 _Mira immediately dropped to her knees. It seemed as though his agony radiated to her, as she felt a sudden explosion of despondency. The anguish was heard when Gajeel's silent cries finally ended and he sucked in a breath. The rest of his outbursts were noisy, despite trying to keep quiet for Penny's sake._

 _The blond's blue eyes closed, sending a few pent-up tears flowing over her cheeks. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his trembling shoulders. No amount of words would help. They did nothing for a grieving heart. It was just filler._

" _W-What do I do? What w-will I do with Pen-Penny?"_

 _Mira took a second to wipe the wet from her nose with her hand. Her own voice slightly wavered. "You love her. You move forward."_

 _The shattered man shook, incapable of doing anything else still curled into himself to weep. He tightened his hands into fists as he leaned into Mira's smaller form. A once proud, tall man crumpled to a ball of frayed nerves and an endless pit of despair._

 _Gajeel sucked in another deep gasp. "I-I can't-"_

 _She felt a few of his tears fall onto her thighs to soak into her jeans._

" _Yes, you can," she said, sniffling. She laid her cheek on his dirty hair, her arms still encasing him. "You can and you will. Your daughter n-needs you."_

" _I need- I need..."_

" _You have Laxus. You have us." Mira swallowed. He could take it wrong, but it needed to be said. "And you have Penny. She needs you more than you need Katherine."_

 _As if on cue, the infant stirred from the disturbances in the room. She gave a short cry, then another one. Mira waited to see if she would continue, but when it appeared the sweet baby wasn't going to cry anymore, she let out a breath._

 _Gajeel stiffened at his friends' wife's words. The simplicity and truth of them sent more salt into his open and bleeding wounds. He knew she didn't mean it the way it sounded, yet he felt a small resentment and tried to set that aside. He was coping with Katherine's death the best way he knew how. And most of that didn't involve his daughter._

 _He was subconsciously pushing Penny away._

 _Barely a month old, the infant represented half of a person he loved with all his heart, of whom was not there anymore. She would never be there again. Ignoring the fact that Penny was in need in her own way… he was being selfish. And now he understood._

 _The realization caused his slower sobs to return with a vengeance. Eventually, Gajeel slowly nodded, his head within her arms against her cheek and he sniffled. The two of them sat there together on the floor without speaking. Only openly crying._

* * *

The car slowly drove down the gravel drive, headlights shining on the farmhouse and barns in the distance. Gajeel parked the car behind Dave's red pick up and shut the vehicle down. The lights in the kitchen were on though no one was seen inside the house.

He shifted his gaze from the house to Levy still seated in the passenger seat. His hand fell from the wheel to his leg. "I hope it's not too late for you."

"It's just 9:30 pm. I doubt I'll get in trouble," Levy said with a light laugh. Her tone changed and she looked at him, her eyes softening as she said, "I had fun though."

A small smile appeared. "Good, I'm glad," he replied lightly. "So did I."

They both slid out of the vehicle and made their way up the steps to the small back porch. Out of the corner of his eye, Gajeel spied down at Levy. Her contented expression was pleasing to him. After what Laxus had relayed in his findings the day that he had snooped through the house, Gajeel had tried not to see her in some new light.

Just because his partner estimated Levy's past didn't mean any of it was true. He wanted to know though. To better understand the young woman he was plainly interested in, but he also wanted her to be comfortable enough with him to tell him on her own. He'd want to tell her about his own past in the same way.

When he was ready.

Gajeel leaned the seat of his jeans on the black iron porch railing as Levy opened the screen door. With the key inserted in the lock, she hesitated, turning slightly.

"Um. Um, would you like to come in for a minute?" She nervously glanced towards the door, gesturing with her thumb.

She normally would have kicked herself for even thinking of inviting a man into her home, but Gajeel -for all his handsome looks and appealing profession- presented himself in a different way. She felt a calm. A steadiness. She was safe. Protected. And for the first time in a long time.

The corners of his eyes creased at corners as his smile returned to his face. "I'd like to, but I don't want to intrude."

 _I'd like to._ Her heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words.

"It's no trouble," she said and then unlocked the door, twisting the doorknob. "If you've got somewhere else to be tonight, it's ok."

As he stared down at her, Gajeel found himself being selfish. He wanted nothing more than to follow her inside. Though he knew he should probably about face and leave, he found his feet moving after her and he pulled the door closed behind him. A coolness from the air conditioner brushed against him. His eyes darted around the kitchen.

There was a lit candle on the center island, an apple pie scent floating throughout the house. The living room and hallway were dark. The countertops were clear of clutter, with everything set in its proper place. Even the magnets on the fridge were set in a certain arrangement. A straight line across the front. There were a few pictures and notes pinned underneath some, none of them crooked.

Levy hung her keys on the hook beside the door. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

Gajeel moved to the island and leaned a hand on the clean surface. "What ya got?"

He tried not to stare at her backside as she bent to peer into the fridge's bottom half, averting his eyes down to his hand when she straightened.

"There's sweet tea and soda right now. Or water if you prefer," she giggled, remembering Laxus' comments on it. "We need to make a run to the store."

He chuckled. "I'm fine with tea."

A comfortable silence followed soon and Levy handed him a glass. She sipped from her own, standing in front of the counter by the sink. She had no idea why she invited him in when she had no idea what to say. She really didn't know how to act. How to date.

She just wanted him around her.

Gajeel set the glass down and glanced to the side, indicating to the room with a tilt of his head. "This is a nice home," he began.

"Yea. Dave's kept it up well," she took a quick sip, then added meekly, "Thank you."

"I doubt everything is his doing," he countered with an even tone. His eyes darted to hers. "You live here too."

Levy could only stare at him. Her lips tried to smile back, but she wasn't entirely sure what her expression was at that moment. Was it a grimace? A half smile? Mentally, she frowned. What was wrong with her? _He just paid you a compliment._

"Y-yes I do."

Her eyes flickered from his down to the floormat she stood on.

Slowly straightening, the off-duty officer never took his eyes from her. The woman had broken the eye contact and that told him something. She was either suffering from a bit of anxiety or there was something else to it. Or both. Maybe he just intimidated her.

That wouldn't make much sense though, given how they interacted at the diner on any given day.

Because Levy was fine with him most moments and then would revert to an awkwardness for a few minutes. He knew her tendencies now after having seen her every day since the fateful encounter.

Setting the glass down on the island, he quietly moved towards her. When she lifted her head, she involuntarily jumped at his close proximity. The surprise was evident in her wide eyes. She bumped back into the sink.

Gajeel noticed the way she automatically gripped the counter's edge. Her knuckles were white. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you ok? You can talk to me."

"Yes, I'm fine." She gazed up at him and forced herself to maintain eye contact, blinking.

She was hiding something.

It wasn't a crime, of that he was sure; her records were clean as far as he could tell. The tiny woman had never come up on his internal radar either. The more he spoke to her at the diner, the more he realized she was harmless. Just an ordinary young woman who worked hard and apparently had a way with equines. She could be funny at times as well, and she had made him laugh on more than one occasion with a few of her tasteful jokes or at his expense.

It was underlying.

When she realized he was unmoving, Levy relented. Her shoulders relaxed, dropping a little. Her lips curled upwards at the corners. She tried to put on a face. "Gajeel, I really am fine. I do have anxiety sometimes, but who doesn't?"

His red eyes looked between her two hazel ones before he nodded. He let out a breath. He wouldn't force her to tell him anything. It was her life. If he eventually became someone important to her, she'd be sure to tell him. Until then...

Levy abruptly turned her back on him to wash her hands. The intensity of his stare burned a hole in her. The caring kindness they expressed scared her. She wasn't used to it. With the sound of the water running to mask her deep sigh, she hurriedly scrubbed her hands.

There was nothing else to do but move away from him, and part of her didn't want that. However, another part of her wanted to; it was as if he could see through those crumbling walls she had erected so long ago.

Gajeel made her fidgety in a good, confusing aspect.

She glanced up to the window to see her reflection staring back at her with distorted features, as well as Gajeel's. He hadn't moved somewhere else within the kitchen at all like she had hoped. Had she really wanted him to walk away? Or was she just scared of her own feelings? Good, bad, she had no confidence in herself. She didn't trust her emotions. Why was she constantly drawn to this man, an all-too-perfect example of what she desperately yearned for?

Her lungs filled with steeled effort. As she opened her mouth to speak, he beat her to it.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, the question easily slipping from his mouth.

With a dish towel to dry her hands, Levy turned to look at him. "Of course not." All other words seemed to elude her until she managed a timid, "Should I be?"

"No. Not at all," Gajeel confessed. Uncrossing his arms, he placed his hands on either side of him on the island countertop. There was no accusation in his tone, he was merely asking. Curiosity got the better of him.

"I've never been afraid of you," Levy said, trying to put his mind at ease. She pursed her lips before continuing. "You… you make me nervous sometimes, but I'm not afraid."

Gajeel had noticed that much. His mouth half smiled. "Really. Nervous, huh."

His expression grew when red began to lightly color her cheeks. Her arms crossed over her breasts. She felt like crawling into a hole under a rock. "W-well, you know… I-I…"

Her gaze floated over his t-shirt covered torso and up over one of his arms. It didn't take much for her to imagine what was under the material. And the feelings within her that his body -or rather Gajeel in general- elicited was what did it.

"I can't understand why s-someone like you would want to hang out with me. Or d-date me."

"Well," Gajeel replied casually. He looked up at the ceiling and then back down to her, his teeth showing with a wide grin. He reached for his tea. "What if I said it was the same for me?"

Levy immediately frowned in confusion. "Really?" Her voice went up an octave.

All her life she had been walked on. Used as a welcome mat. To hear that a sizable, strong man -let alone a police officer- say that she made him feel the same was dumbfounding. She could hardly wrap her brain around his statement.

Gajeel drained his glass and laughed at her response, her face still with a wrinkled expression. "It's different, but similar too," he commented.

He looked down at her staring at him, badly wanting to gently touch her pretty face. Her hair had fallen from behind her ear and was hanging by one of her large doe eyes. Though he knew that would spook her away, he had to keep his hands firmly planted on the counter behind him.

A stable foundation for a potential relationship was more important to him at the moment. Especially after what he had had with Katherine had been real. He didn't want to accept anything less than what it had felt like. It wasn't just him; there was Penny he had to think about. And he greatly hoped that Levy could be what he needed in his life. In his daughter's life.

He may be a gentleman, but he was far from perfect. Thoughts of taking Levy to bed had no doubt entered his mind as he observed and socialized with Levy over the last few days, which he stamped down with everything he had inside. It was a delicate situation on his end alone, he did not want to mess anything up before it could really begin.

If it did.

Perhaps there would be a day when those thoughts could be acted on. But there would never be unless there was a solid, trusting foundation laid first between the two of them.

"About this second date," Gajeel spoke up, lightly clearing his throat.

Seeing that he was changing the subject, Levy visibly relaxed. A genuine smile appeared. "What about it?" she asked pleasantly.

He straightened, stretching his limbs before walking around the island and asked with a serious face, "Have you ever rode in a patrol car?"

"What?" Her reaction was what he had been waiting for. Surprise at the unexpected.

"You heard me," he prodded with a chuckle. "How about you come with me for a few hours while I'm workin'?"

"Is that even allowed?"

He shrugged. "Yea? I don't see a problem."

Levy bit her lip. Her busy and tired mind ran through endless possibilities of riding along with him while he was on duty, all involving a trip to the hospital. What ifs started popping in through the intriguing excitement. "That would be a very different, and interesting point of view, but isn't it dangerous?"

He smirked and gave her a look. "Isn't sitting nearby an abused and rehomed horse dangerous too?"

"But, well yea, but.." Levy began. She put her hands on her hips and blew out a rough breath. Touche.

"It's no different. I'll be right there, Lev," Gajeel stated confidently, trying his luck with a nickname. "It'll give you a chance to see what I have to deal with on a daily basis."

Levy tried to hide the way her lips turned upwards, but the small giggle broke first. "Gajeel, it is different. I'm just sitting there. You run head first into the danger. You go looking for it."

"What happens when you gain trust, hmm?" Gajeel playfully laughed, pointing to the window at the darkness beyond. "Come on."

She wanted to, but the unpredictability of his job was a factor she couldn't ignore. With the way he pointed to the window, she knew he was talking about working with the gelding. But it went as far as he was concerned, she supposed.

She bit her lip. "I don't know…"

"You can wear a vest." Gajeel stepped towards her. His voice lowered. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

She met his gaze when he stepped even closer to her. There was a fire in his eyes. Something that drew her to him in every way. It wasn't particularly a certainty, but there was an ease. Maybe that in itself was trust in him. Trust that he would protect her as he said he would.

He patted her shoulder. "Gotta live a little. It's a short one."

She landed a quick fist to his stomach and let out a sigh. "I'm not _that_ short."

"Is that a yes then?" He said with a laugh, feeling his torso with an exaggerated motion, still keeping his other hand on her shoulder.

Levy let out a growl. "I guess. Only if I wear a vest." Her finger pointed up at him.

"You got it." He chortled again with his deep baritone.

Her finger shook at him as her face lit up with a smile. Her words broke out with another giggle. "And sunglasses. I need sunglasses too."


	9. Haste

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

Storyline: [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemon]

*Rated Mature - There is intense language, drug usage, violence, and sexual content.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima

 **AN** : There is a real Crawford County in Indiana, bordering Kentucky. I live in Indiana and I didn't know that when I started this fic. Harrison and Perry Counties are real too, on either side of Crawford. Learn something new every day, don't ya? ;)

Also, I will add more detail to this soon and with edits. It's a small one, but I wanted to get this chapter out before the busy weekend. More will be coming. Thanks for your reviews and kind words. It has helped in more ways than one. I sure do appreciate it.

* * *

 **Chapter 8 -** _With Haste_

Checking the time on his phone once again, Liam wiped the oil from the dipstick before plunging it back into its chamber. It wasn't quite time yet. The sun was only just beginning to slide behind the tree-lined horizon. There would be plenty of time to get hyped for the night's event. For now, he focused on the maze of complicated engine components underneath his Nissan's hood.

"Hand me the bottle, will ya," he announced, pointing with his arm in the general direction of the unopened premium oil container sitting on the workbench.

Mike handed it to him, looking disinterested. He sat back down on the roller stool. "You heard anything back from your guy?" he casually asked over the radio.

"Nah, only the forwarded text," Liam replied and peeled the seal from the opening. He carefully poured the golden oil into the engine through a funnel. "Tonight, 11pm at Dixon Dock."

Mike twisted his lips. "Can't be that big if it's in Crawford County."

Liam kept quiet, his eyes watching the amount of oil flow. He knew Mike wasn't as into cars as he was. The man really didn't know about them. He was more into women, almost a different one each month. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up receiving a reputation, if he hadn't one already. Liam didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.

He was sort of glad his friend was a little distant. The more Mike surrounded himself in women, the less he would think of his ex-girlfriend. What did he hope to gain from his friend's misfortune? He constantly thought about her, even now. Everything reminded him of her. And how much he still wanted her. The tiny, beautiful bluenette.

If only he could see her again. Maybe she'd changed enough to have forgotten what he'd done, or forget his face, it would make his job easier. Was it love? He inwardly laughed. It was probably more lust than anything. It was better than not feeling anything at all, wasn't it?

Liam took a deep breath and remembered his friend's comment, trying to shake her from his mind for the time being. "It might be Crawford, but that's the challenge."

"Huh?"

Liam's brow furrowed. "It's a small county, yea, but they can't cross county lines. If it starts and ends in another county, they would never be able to catch us crossing borders. Even with their Chargers. It's out of their jurisdiction."

"What if you fuck up on their pavement?" Mike mentioned with a smirk. "And you get incarcerated from your bad decisions? Or if there's a chase into another county like Harrison or Perry or wherever the hell it takes you. You know they call ahead to alert their own. That's how Bobby was taken in last year on a felony charge."

"Rhodes has a police scanner. He'd tell us if we had a tail." Liam let a grin cross his face. "That's half the challenge right there."

Mike casually glanced from his friend to the shiny car. "It would be a shame to see it go."

"What do you mean?" Liam's grin vanished. He capped the oil and set it down behind him. "You don't think I can do it?"

"I didn't say that. Only that there are better drivers out there with more experience, is all," Mike said. There was a hint of irritation in his voice.

Liam twisted the oil cap back on and slammed the hood down. "I'm a good driver, Mike."

"I never said you weren't." Mike watched him wipe his dirty hands on the rag from his back pocket.

"I know, this is more involved than the streets around here. I need to do this," Liam said.

Mike frowned and watched his friend, his elbows on his knees. "Why not stay in Warrick? Why run in Crawford? You can make money here."

Clenching his jaw, Liam turned away from him. He didn't want to tell him he that he had potentially located Levy. What if he still pined after her? Liam wanted her for himself. "I have contacts there for more than just cars."

"Contacts." Mike seemed skeptical.

He nodded, ignoring the tone of his friend's questioning comment. "Hell, I may even move there if the pots are as hefty as they make it out to be. Who knows?"

"Well," Mike said with a sigh and stood up to stretch. "Give me a heads up if you do. I'll have to hide all of your stuff I'd like to keep."

Giving a weak laugh at the joke, Liam tried to show a real smile. He would try his hardest to win whenever he participated in a race, however, his bigger goal was to see Levy again. What Rhodes had said about there being many farms in Crawford still gnawed at him. If he did a little lowkey hunting and some asking around, he would eventually find her.

What did he hope to accomplish when he did? Not even he really knew.

* * *

"Easy boy, easy…" Levy murmured, her voice low and steady. The black gelding's ear flickered back once before it came up to stand erect with his other. His dark eyes focused on her as she spoke confidently to him.

Levy led him around the small fenced in area. She was careful to keep a little distance between them in case he tensed to spook. A grin slowly twisted her lips as she realized Gladio was following her. His left foreleg took a step in her direction when she walked back a few paces. The slack in the white cotton lead grew as the horse tool two more steps forward.

"Good boy," she breathed. Her hand slowly patted the bulging muscle in his neck.

With his eyes and ears still alert, Gladio brought his muzzle to her cheek. She felt the hot breath blow onto her skin and smiled. He was making progress; he was beginning to trust her.

It would be a while before she would be able to saddle break him. Putting too much change on him could undo everything they had accomplished thus far. Levy kept quiet as she slowly laid the lead rope over his mane, letting the end dangle. She ran her hands from his large, circular cheek to his neck, then to his sloping shoulder, back, and hindquarters. She turned to face his back leg.

She continued to rub her hands on the soft hair, breathing in deep the familiar and comforting horse scent that she loved. When she felt the tension disappear from his body, she reached up across his hindquarters and simply kept her arms still, stretched out over him.

The gelding's head was angled in a way where he could see her with one eye and one of his ears flickered towards her, listening to her voice.

Levy made sure to speak softly. "Such a pretty boy. You're doing so well."

The black horse shifted its weight, continuing to stand relaxed. Never breaking the physical contact, Levy moved around behind him. She never took her hands away from the slick black coat. On the other side of his hindquarters, Levy murmured to him again.

Gladio moved his head to see her with his other eye but made no other movements. Levy slowly met his head and rubbed her fingers on his large cheek. She rounded his hindquarters again, all while rubbing him down with quiet murmurs. The more she was able to do this, the more the horse would become accustomed to it and her voice in the future. He was far from ready for anyone else, unfortunately.

Dust from the gravel drive caught her attention. A white Charger with gold lettering on the side alerted her to Gajeel's arrival. It was after 7:30 am. The sun was up and bright, already warming the earth on what would be another hot day.

After turning the gelding loose into the large pasture for the day, she closed the gate and hurried back to the house. She met the vehicle and its driver as he stepped out with a growing smile. "Hey there Officer."

With sunglasses hiding his eyes, dressed in his black uniform complete with a gun and holster and a radio attached to his shoulder, Gajeel laid eyes on her and smirked. "Hello, Levy. How's the horse doin'?"

"He's pretty calm around me now." Her lips couldn't come together even if she tried; the sight of the man before her was as welcome as a cold glass of water on a warm, sunny day. He always left her with a smile. "Definitely better."

"Looks like it," Gajeel replied. He moved the sunglasses on top of his head and motioned to the fence. "You sure that's safe though? Walking behind him like that?"

Levy couldn't tell if it was said as a joke or with concern. Was he worried about her well-being? She gazed at him trying to decide how to respond. Her lips came together then in a toothless grin, then she said in an upbeat tone, "I know what I'm doing. He's not the first horse I've helped."

Gajeel nodded. "Okay, you _are_ the horse whisperer, I guess."

"That's right." She crossed her arms over her chest. A hint of play was in her tone.

"You ready for your first shift, Rookie?" Gajeel asked. He pulled the small, black bulletproof vest from the car.

She looked down at herself, on her jeans and boots. "Let me change first. Do you want to come in?" she asked and pointed over her shoulder.

"Thanks, but I'll stay with the squad car," he answered. He pulled his shades down over his eyes and leaned onto the open driver's door. The sound of the radio crackled to life.

His voiced faded out when she rushed in through the back door. She dug through the clean laundry to find nice shorts and a simple t-shirt. One look in the mirror and she grimaced. It was too late to do anything about her rough image, as Gajeel was already clocked in and waiting for her. Regret flooded through her when she thought about her earlier decision to forego simple makeup, knowing he would be coming.

What did he see in her? She felt like the world's ugliest woman, never wearing makeup or dresses, or doing things that typical women did. She hated shopping in general. It was too much effort. Was there something wrong with her? Was she that broken as to not enjoy things? Dangerous thoughts crossed her mind, thoughts about her past that threatened tears.

When she appeared at the door and pulled the locked door shut, her hazel eyes found Gajeel watching her with a contented gaze. Red slightly tinted her cheeks. If he noticed, he never mentioned it.

"Alright. I have your sunglasses too," he casually said. A small smile split his face. He waited until Levy came up to a halt beside him and he turned her around to fasten the straps.

The vest was heavy. It weighed her shoulder down, forcing her to actively stand straighter. "Do you wear a vest every day?" she asked.

"Not always."

There was a sharp intake of breath. "What if something happens?" Levy turned around to face him, her brows furrowed over her expressive eyes. She stood motionless as he slid her sunglasses onto her face, still glaring at him for not wearing a safety vest.

"Usually nothing does," he said. He smiled down at her. "Cute."

"What is?" she questioned. Was he making light of her concern? His profession was considered dangerous, it didn't make her a terrible person to be worried about the officers on duty. The thought made her brows sink further.

"You. All of it. The police vest looks good on you," he commented and gestured a large hand at her. She would never have known that his eyes softened at the sight of her behind his own shaded glasses. "Come on, let's hit the road."

Not ten minutes after they were on the highway heading towards town did the radio start relaying various calls. Levy sat quietly in the front passenger seat, the car's laptop on the stand slightly over her legs, as Gajeel responded appropriately to different voices over the frequency.

"I'm on US Ten, I'm on the other side," he was saying. He waited for the other unit's response.

" _I'm close by. I'll check it out._ "

"10-4."

Levy watched him as they slowed down upon entering city limits. She saw a speed limit sign fly past the window. "What was that last one? Where is it?"

"A welfare check on the northside."

Levy frowned. Her gaze darting to the dashboard clock. "Really? It's only 8:15 am."

He gave her a knowing look, giving a quick nod. "You'll be surprised what all can happen in a day."

She just looked out her window, grateful that her sunglasses hid the sudden sting around her eyes. If only he knew… _now is not the time._ Breathing deep, Levy focused on the street ahead of them.

The patrol car rolled up behind a short line at a stoplight. The different perspective amazed Levy. She saw the same scenery almost every day from her own car -driving on the same streets, passing the same local businesses. To be under the lights and siren was an eye-opener. She had no idea what all went into a police vehicle. It was all strange and exciting. As if she was visiting a new town. It almost felt like she could do no wrong. She was protected. She _was_ the protection.

" _0820, Crawford County-_ " the radio announced with a female voice. It made a clinking sound as the radio was cut off. Another moment and it came on again. " _Medic One, 612 W Main. 10-50."_

"Is that bad?" Levy was hesitant to ask. She didn't want to see anything horrible. Misfortune for anyone hurt her just as much as if it were herself. Her empathy levels were strong.

Gajeel was silent as he listened to the radio traffic on the same call, eyes set ahead with a serious stare.

Another officer's voice came through. " _Unit Two 10-8._ "

Gajeel touched the radio on his shoulder, slightly tilting his head. "Unit Four-"

" _W Main… one of the drivers called it in. Requested EMT. Driver may have personal injury._ "

"10-4, Unit Four to 10-40." Gajeel looked to Levy with an answer, knowing she had asked a question beforehand. "It's a traffic accident with possible injury. It doesn't sound too bad, they're only sending one paramedic."

"A 10-50? What is a 10-40 then?"

Gajeel was patient with her quiet and many questions as he guided the car towards the location of the accident. He was alert to his surroundings, but also gentle with his pretty ride along. "It means Respond Quietly. There's no need for light or sirens."

Levy nodded as her body relaxed a little. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'll roll up on it and check the legal stuff to make sure everything's fine. No warrants or anything serious." He motioned for the glove box. It was too far away for him to reach safely while driving. "In there is a cheat sheet of the codes and signals. It'll help you during the rest of your ride."

Levy retrieved the sheet. Her ears tuned out the radio chatter and Gajeel as he did his job, intently reading through the number combinations and what it all meant. It was so much to memorize.

She glanced up as Gajeel put the car into park. He gave her a quick wink before opening his door and said, "I'll be back. Sit tight."

The radio continued to light up with various chatter. Levy watched the accident scene with interest. Her favorite police officer slowly made his way up to the two vehicles involved in the accident. A bit of white smoke curled out from under the bent hood of a black two-door cavalier. Perpendicular to it was a red truck with front-end damage. Broken plastic light covers littered the pavement.

Gajeel met with the first person he came to. He glanced at the accident area and then behind him. A red ambulance came up the road from behind the squad car. It came to a stop near them, its personnel exiting with a medical duffle.

Soon Levy patiently saw both EMTs and Gajeel help the two drivers around to the back of the rig. One received minor medical attention while Gajeel spoke to them about their license and other information. A flare of pride smoldered inside her chest when he turned to confidently stride towards his Charger.

It could have been the uniform, but Levy's appreciation for his handsome looks swelled. Her lips twitched, and the corners upturned.

"Almost done," Gajeel breathily stated when he roughly sat behind the wheel. He had her told the papers up so he could type all of it into the search fields on the laptop. She bit her lip. Her eyes flickered to watch the concentration on his face.

"Is everything alright with them?" she asked. She gave back the licenses and registrations.

"Looks like it. No warrants, no warnings, no license points. Just unfortunate timing. The one who got hit didn't see the oncoming truck. The Insurance companies will deal with it all now," he said. He temporarily left Levy alone to return the papers to the owners.

The two of them then left the scene. The Charger turned down another street and Levy's eyes found a resting place on Gajeel. Focused as he was, he didn't notice her gaze. Her head tilted to the side as he casually spoke into the radio on his shoulder. When he made it to a four-way intersection, he glanced to his right.

His face broke into a small grin. "What?"

"Nothing," Levy replied sweetly. Her smile widened over her teeth. "I'm just taking everything in."

"You aren't bored at least?" He asked while guiding the car into the turn.

Levy shook her head. A thick strand of hair curled around the sunglasses."No, no. Not in the least."

There was a hint of a snort. "Some days are pretty slow."

"No one acts out to get arrested, huh."

Gajeel couldn't help but smile at her playful tone and the _tsk_ of her mouth. "Right. Most of the time it's domestic disturbances, accidents like that last one, and traffic stops. With the occasional drug bust or foot chase."

"Have you arrested anyone?"

"Please," he scoffed, his head angling briefly in her direction. A grin appeared almost immediately. "Plenty of times. That's all child's play."

Levy enjoyed their conversation. Her teeth showed as the smile spread further across her lips. Her gaze shifted to the passenger window as the slowly rolled past a little public school. "I never knew what all went into a police officer's daily routine."

"There's a lot. I'm up at 5:30 am every day."

His confession shocked Levy, and she shifted in the seat, angling her body towards the middle console. "Are you serious? Why so early? What time do your shifts start?"

He hesitated only a moment; he was reluctant to bring his daughter into it, though she was the reason he was up so early. As much as he wanted to tell Levy about Penny, he was unsure of her reaction, even now, months into their friendship. Katherine was a secret he didn't want known just yet. "I just do. It started at 7 am today and the rest of this week. Other weeks it's in the afternoon."

"When are you off today?"

Gajeel looked both ways at another intersection before continuing with a grunt. "Seven tonight."

Levy blanched. "A twelve-hour shift? When do you have time for a life?"

He let out a rough chuckle. "It is a little difficult. I try to balance everything."

The radio crackled then, following a signal tone. Gajeel's eyes glanced at the dashboard clock. It obviously wasn't the daily test time.

"What's that mean?" Levy asked, her finger slowly unfurling to point to the car's built-in police scanner.

"It's never good."

She swallowed as the signal tone ended. Immediately after the dispatcher's voice was calm as she spoke. " _All units, be advised. Ongoing 10-94. Northbound, highway thirty-three. 10-57 at 0946 hours-_ "

Gajeel's face altered then into one of surprise before slipping into a serious expression. He settled into his duties. Down to business. He flipped a switch on the controls next to the laptop. Red and blue light began to flash on the surrounding environment.

" _Caller is female, her vehicle was struck and is now sitting disabled on the shoulder. Two suspect vehicles fled the scene. Northbound. A red Subaru-_ "

Levy's eyes found the code, her finger marking her place as she looked at Gajeel. "A possible drag race? Who does that on a state highway?"

He pursed his lips and flipped the siren a few times as a warning to vehicles in the immediate area before leaving it on. "At least two brain-dead idiots. They left the scene of an accident too."

"A hit and run." She shook her head. How could someone do that? What if the woman was pregnant or had children with her?

"I bet you they aren't from Crawford," Gajeel grunted. He maneuvered the Charger through the neighborhood streets until he turned onto the main roads. Other cars stopped on the streets and people stared with mild interest as the Charger sped up the street. They passed business fronts in a blur, the lights and siren making the way clear.

White knuckles gripped the armrest as Gajeel drove with intense eyes. He spoke into the radio on his shoulder, communicating with the other units responding to the call.

" _Someone needs to stop southbound traffic up near Milton township, suspect vehicles are headed that way, still northbound. Unit Five and Twelve are in pursuit._ "

"Unit Four, I'm passing the golf course now, someone's already there," Gajeel said calmly. Another patrol car was parked along the side of the highway behind the disabled vehicle. A woman was leaning against her car, nodding as the officer jotted down notes.

Concentration was evident as Gajeel all but seemed to ignore Levy, who had remained silent since the car began speeding past the posted speed limits. She had never ridden in a police car before, either in the front seat or the back. She had never blatantly disobeyed laws. It felt strange to see everything from the Law's point of view.

" _They've turned around, both suspects are now southbound on thirty-three. They're nearing one hundred and twenty miles per hour._ "

Levy perked up, her eyes widening. "Oh my gosh."

The gauge on the dash behind the wheel marked under ninety, the engine roaring with the excessive speed. The grass on the side of the road was a blur. It was almost as if Levy could feel how fast they were going just by visuals.

" _They went around the stop sticks. Still southbound, heading your way, Unit Four._ "

Gajeel pursed his lips. On the hill against the horizon, he saw two cars flying down the blacktop. One was in the correct land, the other -a bright green color- in the northbound lane going the wrong way. They were beside each other, both not slowing down, but gaining speed. "This doesn't look like a drag race. It's been too long. A drag race is would have been over by now."

As he said it, he sucked in a breath as the two cars simultaneously drifted around to their right. Dust and debris flew into the air as one of the cars sped over a grassy area and into a soybean field. The other one raced onto a back road and passing its accomplice.

Gajeel slowed the Charger down to seventy-five, still glancing in the direction they were last seen. "Subjects just ditched the highway, now westbound on… Nihoff Road. I've lost sight of 'em," he spoke into the radio. His thumb let go of the talk button as he pulled left onto the back road in question. He leaned forward. "Shit…"

"I don't see them," Levy said. She took off her sunglasses but put them back on when the sunlight made searching more difficult.

Gajeel shook his head and took a breath before thumbing the radio. "Any sights?"

" _Negative. We'll put out a BOL. Riddle and Westfork have been notified and are on high alert. Signal Nine 1021,_ " the male voice on the other end replied.

"10-4 1021."

Levy looked at Gajeel. She wasn't that familiar with the signals yet, but she knew the potential chase was now over. "What do we do now?"

Gajeel looked both ways before backing the Charger onto the highway to head back to town. He said, "Nothing right now since we lost them. I'm sure the woman who called it in has some information that could help though."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Then hope the other towns or counties catch them, or that they come back through, 'cause we'll be sure as shit ready for them."

He was not sure, but something told his gut that Crawford had been witness to illegal street racing. However, he was every bit sure that it would not be the last time either.


	10. Anticipation

**AN** : To those who read Fighting Redfox to its satisfying end, thank you! It means a lot. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the story I shared with you! This is another Gajevy multi-chapter story for you! I hope you like it as much as FR!

Storyline: [AU] He's a cop who's had a rough few years. She's an out-of-towner with baggage she wished she could shake. Both have a past they'd rather not talk about. They must save each other from themselves to rediscover what had once given their lives meaning, all while danger hovers. Love and acceptance are only words until proven with action. [Two Plot Convergence] [Crime drama, lemon]

*Rated Mature - There is intense language, drug usage, violence, and sexual content.

*I do not own any of the media.

*I do not own any of FairyTail - that's all Hiro Mashima

 **AN** : This isn't the best, but still ok. It's hard to get back into something when it's been a while since you last touched on it. But I've got it. And I've got more time coming up to work on my other updates.

 **This slow burn is about to turn.** (no horse pun intended lol)

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - _With Anticipation_**

Gajeel took one look at the vehicles parked in the drive and wished he would have changed out of his work uniform before heading out. He always carried a change of clothes in his duffle, but the cookout had started hours ago. He hadn't wanted to waste time and miss it; he could always change after he arrived.

He entered the ranch house and gently closed the door behind him. Before him on the kitchen island were serving bowls filled with various kinds of food. It was the kind one found at cookouts. There was a large platter at the end of the island with burgers and hot dogs, an obvious indicator that the grill had been fired up for use.

A small buzz vibrated in his pocket. He pulled out his phone, stopping to look at it.

' _We're out back. Drinks in the cooler'_ he read on the device. It was from Levy.

His eyes snapped up to the side door by the laundry room across the back of the house. The remaining sunlight of the day filtered through the glass panes that overlooked the backyard.

Walking onto the back porch, Gajeel first heard the country radio station, then the sound of casual chatter over it. He saw a few people -which he guessed were Dave and Levy's family- around the glass table with beer bottles, finished dinner plates, and opened bags of chips and dip. His lips curved upward when he spotted Levy swinging in a hammock chair.

"Hey, you made it," Dave announced when he saw him. "Kick back, have a beer."

"Yea, thanks for the invite." Gajeel gave a smile as he reached down into an ice-filled cooler to pick up a brown bottle and popped the top with an available opener.

When he straightened and turned, he was not surprised to see Levy standing there. "Hey Gajeel," she said happily. She pushed some hair behind her ear.

That was the first time she had used his name in greeting. He felt the tension in his face relax. His eyes roamed over her tank top, noting she wore a swimsuit top underneath it. "Hey Levy," he replied. He took a swig of the bottle in his hand.

"How was work?"

He briefly grimaced. There had been a lot going on with it being a national holiday. The Friday before the three day weekend had been busy. He was relieved he didn't have to work for the next three days. "It went," he replied with a chuckle. "I came straight from the station. Been looking forward to this all day."

Levy nodded, her eyes gliding down from his face to his chest. A white t-shirt was hiding underneath the partially buttoned black uniform. She gestured with her head for him to follow her to the patio table and patted a cushioned chair, prompting him to sit.

There was high pitched laughter coming from the house. Two children ran outside dressed in their colorful swimsuits, beelining it towards the pool off to the side of the deck. Their mother then appeared after them. Her voice was stern. "You had better listen to Cousin Levy, do you hear me?"

"Sorry, I'm being summoned," Levy said with a giggle. She gave him a sweet smile. "I'm really glad you're here."

His own smile mirrored hers. "Me too."

He watched her walk away towards the pool before taking the empty seat at the outdoor table. Everyone was quick to greet him and introduce themselves, though most knew of him. His charm and ability to easily speak to others quickly allowed him to win them over. Soon it was as if he had always been a part of the family, cutting it up with people didn't know while he relaxed and ate after a long workday.

Soon a game of cards was underway. It didn't take long to learn. After several hands, he was starting to win. His gaze shifted toward the sound of a shrill scream followed by laughter. The two little girls were on floats paddling in a circle around Levy. She would lunge out with her pool noodle, trying to reach them with her splashes. One of the little girls kicked her legs against the water, creating a huge wave that ended up directly in Levy's face.

Gajeel let his mind stray as he watched. She was good with them. His thoughts turned to his own little girl. He missed her.

"Gajeel, it's your turn," someone patiently said.

His attention immediately returned to the present game. He threw a card into the middle. His eyes darted to the pool once again as if he hadn't been distracted.

Dave noticed.

Sitting beside him, the man gave the off-duty officer a knowing stare. Giving only a glance, Gajeel ignored him, knowing full well Levy's cousin was not an idiot. As much as he tried to deny it, the bit of something between him and the tiny bluenette did not go unaware.

Eventually, the sun began to hide behind the treeline, which prompted the end of the waterworks. Levy herded the two girls back to the side of the house. They had towels wrapped around themselves and grass stuck to their feet from their short trek. Levy unrolled the garden hose and turned the water on.

"Hold still," she said and quickly sprayed off their feet so they wouldn't track grass through the house. The girls ran ahead of her to meet their mother. She passed by the patio table as the card game ended on her way inside.

The winner -Levy's aunt- gloated about her win in Dave's face. The man shook his head, trying not to smile at her taunts and set his unused cards down. He then turned to the off-duty officer. "I'm gonna start a campfire in the firepit in a minute if you'd like to help. Tell Levy to bring out the s'more stuff."

"Alright," Gajeel said.

He retrieved his duffle from the white charger. Voices and music hit him once he stepped foot into the kitchen. He popped his head into the living room. Levy's little cousins had donned dry clothes and were watching the beginnings of a movie. Levy wasn't with them.

He stopped by the kitchen island to snag a carrot stick off the vegetable tray, then entered the hallway for the bathroom. Before he could lay his hand on the doorknob, the wooden door suddenly opened wider and the light shut off. Someone rushed out and bumped squarely into his chest. He nearly knocked them back into the room.

"Oh!" Levy yelped in surprise and reached forward in an attempt to keep upright.

Gajeel's hand was on her waist in an instant. He leaned forward, bending in an effort to pull her to himself to keep her upright.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you!"

"No, it was my fault!"

She giggled and looked up at him. Her chest was smashed against his torso, her arms folded between the two of them. One of his arms held the large duffle, the other was around her body pressing her tightly to him. Hazel eyes flickered between his face and the badge on his chest.

"Well i-it seems I can always count on a policeman to save the day," she breathed. She could feel the heat in her cheeks.

"I do what I can," he murmured.

Levy slowly backed away, her hands lingering against the material at his chest. She righted the crooked badge with her thumb and forefinger. Again her slightly embarrassed gaze flickered up into his. She was very much aware of his arm, which was still around her near her hips. Almost like he didn't want to let her go.

Catching himself, he cleared his throat before backing into the hall to let her pass. She awkwardly walked out with her head down and started towards the living room.

"Wait," he said before going into the bathroom.

Levy halted and spun around expectantly. There was a light in her eyes when she stared at him. "Yes?"

"Dave said to bring the s'more stuff outside, he's making a fire."

An invisible breath rushed from her mouth. Her chest heaved and the light faded from her gaze as she answered, "Oh. Ok." With that she left, fleeing into the kitchen.

Within the five minutes it took for him to change into his casual clothing of jeans and a sweatshirt for the cool night, Gajeel second-guessed himself. He had witnessed the interest in her eyes and then the disappointment she had tried to hide. What had she been expecting from him? What had he been expecting? Should he have said something, what had been on his mind when they had had that awkward run in?

If he was honest, he wanted to kiss her. The earlier, near incident would have been the most opportune moment to act, but he stopped himself. Why? Why had he, was he unsure about her feelings? What if she had turned away? He could've ruined his friendship with her.

But what if there could be something more to their relationship?

He didn't want to push it; he forced the idea to the back of his mind.

When he returned outside, he noticed the sky had gradually darkened. Soon the sun's light would fail to appear at all along the horizon. Orange and yellow flames flickered from the fire now growing inside the stone ring surrounding it. Chairs were set up around it, and a small table held the s'more-making necessities. Some people had left the gathering for the night, leaving an intimate few.

He found Levy by the fire that had just been created. "I should probably head home soon," he said.

Disappointment flashed across her face. She quickly pulled on her sweatshirt to ward off the growing chill that was beginning to set in. "You don't want to stay for a nice fire?"

"I do, but..." _But Penny._ _Who I'm afraid to tell you about. I wish I could bring you home to her._

"Just the man I wanted to see," Dave announced with a loud voice. He handed Gajeel a long, thin metal rod that seemed too flimsy to be a store-bought marshmallow roaster.

"Is this a metal coat hanger?" Gajeel asked with a laugh as he inspected it, turning it over in his hands. The end he held looked like two thick wires twisted around each other.

"Yep," Levy said with a grin. She held out of her own, now with a fat marshmallow on the end. "Two of them actually. We make our own utensils out here."

Dave agreed by nodding and handing Gajeel the marshmallow bag. "Who needs store-bought camping supplies when you can rig up your own for next to nothing?"

With two white squares secured on the homemade roaster, Gajeel sat down next to Levy. The conversation flowed in no particular direction while they enjoyed the bright, warm campfire. The smoke that floated up into the air was barely visible against the darkening sky. Many stars dotted the expanse above them.

"Gajeel, your marshmallows are on fire." Levy gawked at the blackened squares with tiny yellow flames alight on top.

He rolled up his sleeves one at a time while the marshmallows continued to burn. "Good. Just how I like them."

"Gross."

He blew on them and gently pulled them off the wire.

Levy's lip curled. "Ew. I suppose you like burnt popcorn too."

"I'll eat it, it's not that bad."

Laughing, Levy bumped his shoulder and rolled her eyes. She constructed her s'more and ate in silence beside him. Dave told stories to the few people who had stayed for the fire, and that coupled with the crackling sounds of the fire, Levy was lulled into a contented state.

As close as she was to Gajeel, she thought she could smell the hint of cologne still lingering on him from the day. The baritone of his voice when he spoke calmed her, adding to what the campfire already made her feel. It was hard not to lean into him. It was hard not to want to wrap her hands around his thick arm. To touch his skin.

She didn't think of him as a friend. Not with the way her thoughts had turned. It had started like that. When had it betrayed her? When had it all developed into stronger feelings? The change made her apprehensive.

Her gaze flickered up to him. Seeing his confidence wore like a badge made her feel secure as if it transferred to her by default just from being in his presence. The man was at ease and calm and grounded what seemed like all the time. She only wished she had the same confidence. Even a little bit.

Maybe she could fake it.

Without giving it a second thought, she leaned onto her chair's arm and boldly placed her hand through the open space between his arm and body. The contact of the warm skin of his arm against hers was both alarming and comforting. Her fingers brushed against the hair at his wrist until settling under his palm.

He briefly tensed and glanced at her small hand in surprise. His mouth twitched, but he controlled the reaction before it could give anything away. The sensation of her thumb running along a bulging vein gave him chills, which ran up to the back of his neck and out to his extremities.

He himself had been wanting to do just that, but the uncertainty of her response kept him at bay. Maybe it was the dark evening invoking certain emotions. Whatever it was, he hoped it wouldn't stop. The grin he tried to suppress subtly slid into place. He kept still, afraid she'd move away.

As the conversation kept pace and the stories were told, Levy's head grew heavy. She rested it against Gajeel's shoulder and stared at the fire as she listened. The intensity of the heat against her eyes grew too much and she closed them for instant relief. Immediately with her other senses, she was aware of his body movements and heard the rumbling sound of his voice in her ear. His warmth and steadiness radiated to her, seeping in.

Her thoughts then turned from the cozy warmth to a dark chill.

Her mind's eye saw a campfire. A barn. She could smell the alcohol, the gasoline used to ignite the brush.

Levy abruptly sat up. She took her arm back, rubbing it through her long sleeve with her other hand as the cool air replaced the emptiness.

Gajeel turned his face towards her. "You ok?" he murmured.

She sucked in a quick breath. "Mhm. I almost fell asleep," she lied.

When he didn't press further, she relaxed and settled back into her chair, silently fighting to regain the source of serenity that Gajeel unknowingly supplied.

* * *

There was a dark. And then there was a great pressure, creeping its way towards her. Its claws dug into her skin. It was heavy, with violent intent lingering above her body. Threatening. It was crushing her torso. Trying to breathe was like breathing in fire. Her lungs struggled to work against another similar, uncomfortable pressure on her lips.

Fear blazed within and her eyes snapped open. Black and purple swirled around her, the sensation of hanging on the edge pressed in at all fronts. She was going to fall. Any moment she would fall and die. More fear entered her mind then, and pain in her stomach drew her attention -yet again another pressure. Though this time there was no ill will where it was concerned.

She wrapped an arm around her belly, hoping to protect it from… from what? How could she survive when she couldn't see what was attacking? How would she defend herself? Looking around in the darkness, she was alone. Alone in the black, the purple. The haze which surrounded her sucked what air she had left right out of her lungs. Trying to scream, she found her voice was taken. The only thing resembling calm radiated from her belly.

Protect the calm. But how? The haze was closing in. It would kill it.

It would kill her.

 _Abruptly awaking with a gasp, Levy's eyes shot open. She took several deep breaths, feeling the air sink and absorb into her lungs. Finally, she could breathe. Fingers touched her chest as she looked around._

 _Sunlight trying to invade its way into the motel room couldn't penetrate the curtains. The sheets had been thrown from her when she woke from a sweaty stupor. Levy sat up in the bed, alone. As grateful as she was for that, the flooding of recent events and memories grounded her in her waking nightmare. There was no one. She had no one. That kind of alone._

 _The ache in her chest made her want to stay there where it was warm and safe. Where they were a deadbolt on the door. She had to think of a new plan; staying with friends fell through. She knew it would. It was as if the universe was punishing her. There had to be something she could do. But if not, she wasn't crippled- she could do this on her own._

 _By the time she showered and gathered her things to leave, it was a little after noon. After making sure she had everything and with keys in hand, Levy shut the door and turned for her car. It was warm out, sunny with a little breeze. The mingled scent of flowers roamed on the wind. It mixed with the smell if her clean hair, reminding her of childhood memories._

 _A pleasant distraction._

 _Images of her mother in the round pen with one of their horses, the smell of cut grass, hay, dirt, and the unmistakable horse scent, the warmth of the sun; it was all that she desperately wanted again. Someday. Maybe._

 _She stopped the car under the archway in front of the motel to drop off the room key and then waited for an opening in traffic. Her eyes saw the passing vehicles, but her mind was elsewhere. It was a month after she had left. What was next for her?_

 _It was nice enough, this little city she came to and stayed the night in, but was it safe? Should she stay where the population was growing or move on? There was no telling if Liam or Mike would look for her. She hoped they'd just leave it be. Let her go._

 _A short honk made her jump in her seat. Her eyes saw the car behind her and then took a moment to survey the street before she pulled out of the lot. Knowing she only had her car as a shelter at the moment, there was time to see if she could land a job. A job meant money, and then she could perhaps find an apartment to rent._

 _A small sigh escaped her lips. It wasn't exactly what she had in mind. She had imagined her life quite differently. "What am I to do, mom? I'm so lost," she murmured. She quickly pursed her lips against the sudden sting in her eyes._

 _Taking a deep breath, Levy quieted herself down. A rumble in the pit of her stomach reminded her that it had been a while since she last ate. There were several fast food places, and it all looked satisfying, though she was not sure what her money can would look like after multiple drive-thrus. The money had to last._

 _There was a sign for a small grocery store ahead. The sign underneath it said 'help wanted'. She pulled into the parking lot and looked around. Several vehicles were parked in the individual spaced and a few people strode out from the store with full plastic bags._

 _The cool conditioned air hit Levy's exposed shoulders, leaving her to shiver once as she went down the first aisle she laid sights on. It was full of non-refrigerated drinks. She passed the fruit drinks high in sugar content. It would not be good in the hot car, those would probably leave her more dehydrated than anything. She skipped everything until she came to the bottled water and grabbed a large gallon bottle, eyes warily flickering to the price._

 _She wandered down the many aisles, taking certain items off the shelves and generally ignoring other customers who passed by in their shopping. A satisfied smile spread when she saw the red box of crackers. What else had a long shelf life?_

" _Do you need a basket?" a male voice stated._

 _Levy spun around, her heart racing wildly in her chest, and nearly dropped the box of crackers from the crook of her arm. A man with a black apron smiled at her. He had a cart full of items that he was currently stocking. Beside him was an empty stack of bulky shopping baskets. They had been full of discarded items, never purchased at the registers._

 _Levy involuntarily swallowed and tried to calm down. Her legs had been poised to hightail it. It took her a moment to take it in. Just an employee. It was not Liam._ You are ok, _she told herself. She hoped the smile her lips tried to create was polite, if there at all._

" _Um, yea, I could use one," she said slowly. She faked the smile again as he gave it to her. "Thanks."_

 _With her arms now free, there was more room to carry and she could see exactly what she had. Her mind calculated the total price. She would have enough for another fill up at the gas station too. However, a job was definitely needed if she was going to keep living in her car. Her mind refused to think of what would happen if it broke down._

 _She waited patiently in line at the checkout counters. The cashier was an older woman. She gave Levy a small smile with her greeting and began scanning the items on the belt. From where she stood, she could see the store's entrance. The sliding doors continually opened and closed with customers coming and going. She was about to ask for a job application as she handed the cashier the money, but froze when something terrifyingly familiar crossed into her peripheral._

 _No words came out of her parted lips. Her stomach flipped, sending a wave of icy adrenaline through her limbs. It was all Levy could do to pull her eyes away, as much as she desired to run away and hide._

 _She watched in stunned silence as the man who had raped her strode into the building, carrying himself with an easy confidence she could not understand. His head turned as he quickly took in the store's layout, his eyes flickering towards the back and then at the registers._

 _Levy sunk down to a near crouch to hide, thankful the cashier, who inadvertently blocked her from view and didn't say anything in a comment about her odd behavior._

 _Pretending to drop her wallet, the bluenette crouched behind the turntable that held the plastic bags. Her arms and legs burned with more adrenaline now pumping through her. It was too easy for her to hyperventilate. Though her eyes watered and were no doubt reddened, she cautiously peered above the bags._

 _Liam was nowhere in sight._

 _No matter how nice the small city was, a job was now out of the question. Levy knew she could not stay. Even a few hours away, Liam was actively looking for her. That had to be the only explanation. There was a grocery where she had been living with Mike, it was where almost everyone in that town had shopped. No one traveled over an hour to a small ma and pa store for necessities if they didn't have to._

 _Glancing around at register area before picking up her plastic bags, Levy all but ran to and out the sliding doors. The outside heat abruptly hit her face, the harsh contrast from the air-conditioned building almost taking her breath away. A sense of urgency put a rush to her actions. When she made it to the car after weaving in and out between vehicles, she unlocked the door and threw the white bags onto the passenger seat._

 _Anxiety flooded her mind. She let out a rough exhale, threatening to cause hyperventilation. The waver in her breaths prompted her to take several deep breaths to steady herself. An hour ago she had thought she was safe. Now… now she had to think of another place to go. To live if she could manage it. Her friends had failed in her plans. Who else did she have? Her mother was gone, her father she had never met. She had a grandmother and an uncle, but her mother had been distant from them and Levy had no way to contact them. A sigh of defeat rumbled from her._

 _As she guided the red car out of the parking lot and onto the streets, Levy's brain ran a mile a minute. More anxiety piled onto her shoulders and it all weighed her down. She focused on breathing and turned the radio up for a little background noise. Maybe it would distract her mind and help her relax._

Just breathe, _she thought._ _Another inhale and exhale._ Breathe.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Gajeel grumbled. He patted himself down for his wallet, finding it in his back pocket, and then he grabbed his keys off the counter by the back door.

"Yes. I'm sure," Mira replied with a giggle. She lifted Penny off the counter to set her little feet on the floor, her light up shoes flashed pink as she ran to the living room. The woman turned to him. "It's a good plan. You need a little time for yourself."

"No, I meant for you. Are you sure it's alright? She's at your place almost every day," Gajeel said with a nod towards his child.

He stood there in the kitchen, fidgeting with the ring finger that had once been banded before placing both hands on his hips, aware of his nervous tell. He inaudibly sighed.

Mira shook her head with a small smile. Her hand brushed against her belly, which was on its way outwards with her pregnancy. "No, don't do that. You know that both of you are always welcome at my house, Penny is no problem at all. She's a precious experience that has prepared me for my own child. You just focus on you. "

A quick breath huffed from his mouth. He found the key to his off-duty truck on the keyring and tightly held it between his fingers. Why had he thought that bringing Levy to his house was a good idea? It had seemed like one the other night when he was staring hard at her while they sat around the campfire at the ranch house.

The look in her eyes. He could almost hear it clear as day right there in the kitchen. With only the gaze of her eyes, the tiny woman had almost convinced him to spill his guts right there in the firelight. Katherine and all.

And why would he? There was no reason. They weren't in a romantic relationship. They were just friends or closer friends than they had been. Levy didn't think of him in that way. Or did she? Recalling the way he had felt with her, smelling the lotion she wore mixed with the woodsmoke, hearing her light laughter, her hand tightening around his arm, he now knew something else was mixing into his emotions. He hadn't felt so warm and carefree since, since…

Revelation dawned on him like a fall through a frozen-over pond. His eyes briefly widened and his chest thrummed explosively for a split second. He bit it back, immediately trying to deny it.

"Everything ok?" Mira asked. She gathered Penny's bag full of toys, snacks, and a change of clothes and pull-ups off the table and looked curiously at her husband's friend and work partner.

Gajeel cleared his throat. "Yea, yea, I'll pick her up later tonight."

He left the kitchen, leaving Mira to follow behind. Finding his girl in the living room with one of her toys, Gajeel crouched to lean over to her. "You're gonna go hang out with Aunt Mira and Uncle Lax for a bit, ok?"

Penny smiled tilted her head up towards him and raised her arm, pointing at him. "You're going too?"

His heart seized at her cute, round face and trusting innocence. "No, I've got some work to take care of. But I'll pick you up tonight."

The smile faded as she replied with a simple "ok". As simple as it was, it was also a painful word which harbored her disappointment. She didn't cry or whine, only shifted her eyes from him to the toy in her lap.

Tears stung in Gajeel's eyes. The ache in his chest threatened to do him in. Why was he putting off time with her on his weekend off work? Why was he hiding her -and his past- from Levy? Everyone else in town knew; maybe he finally needed to make known the fact that he had a daughter from a previous marriage.

He reached down to scoop her up into his arms. There was a slight pout set on her lips when she was set against him. "I promise it won't be for long, baby. You'll have fun," he said. He started for to the front door where Mira patiently waited.

"No…" Penny whined and buried her face against his neck. Her fingers tightened on his shirt by his neck.

Mira's fingers came up to cover the faint sad smile on her lips. Penny was most definitely a happy-go-lucky child, always smiling and hard-headed at times. There were some days when she would give them all a hard time with tears of frustration or sadness, but they were few.

"I was going to get some ice cream, Penny," the blond woman said with an upbeat voice. "I won't be able to eat it all, I need help. You wanna help me?"

The little girl's eyes were rimmed with red as she stared at the side of Gajeel's neck. After a brief hesitation, Penny nodded. Gajeel transferred her to Mira without having to pry her fingers from him. He turned to his faithful babysitter. "Thank you," he mouthed.

Mira headed out the front entrance, prompting Penny to smile and wave back to him. He watched from the window as they left the drive before he locked up to leave himself.

Once he caught sight of the ranch house, any traces of guilt he had been feeling quickly turned to excitement. Memories of the past few months filtered through his mind. The more he drove to the location, the more he found an attraction.

Not just to the beautiful woman who currently lived there, but the property itself. Learning about its history had been interesting. It used to be a thriving livestock farm. Rough times had led to the property's division and most of the land was eventually sold off. There was now just a few horses that Dave had kept for sentimental reasons.

Having lived in the town for several years, he knew of Dave and his family. However, he hadn't as well as he had gotten to know him since becoming a police officer. They ate there every week on breaks. So much Dave had given them discounts, which somehow became permanent in and out of uniform.

And now Levy was in the picture. He certainly wouldn't visit the farm as often had she not been there.

He knew nothing about animals. Only that they tasted great in half-priced burgers.

Even before he came to a halt, he searched the grounds for the woman he sought. In a small arena further up, he saw a glint of blue and grey before he shifted the truck into park by the red car usually present. Which meant Levy was home.

Atop a big grey horse sat Levy. They were alone in the empty and quiet homestead.

Quietly stepping out, Gajeel made his way up the yard for them. His boots crunched on the gravel drive. It prompted the memory of the first time he had stepped foot on the property. Levy had been a pleasant surprise, a breath of fresh air. Almost as if it had broken open his sealed-off heart, now that he looked back on it. She had made an interesting impression whether she had known it or not.

As he approached, he began to make out details. She rode in a western saddle. Her legs were glued to the horse's sides. Her bottom stayed close to the saddle's seat even with the rushed gait. It was a wonder with how much of a height difference that she didn't fly up off of it and fall to the dirt.

Her hair was pulled back, though there were untamed wisps flying about her face. Her hands were together in front of her, hovering above the saddle horn, lightly holding the reins with her fingers. The leather straps were attached to the horse's mouth by the bit. There was slack in them, it was hard for him to tell how the horse knew where she wanted it to go.

Gajeel silently walked up to the fence to watch. He hoped he wouldn't scare the grey with his presence. The rhythmic sound of the three beat gait pounded into the dirt as horse and rider passed by him on the rail, completing another large circuit.

Levy seemed at peace. She was steady. The concentration in her face was apparent. It didn't surprise Gajeel -given her interests- but it was the first time he had witnessed her true, unadulterated confidence. So she did have it. It made him smile.

It was attractive.

The horse's ears flickered back and forth. Levy must have changed something in instructions, as the grey now headed for the center of the ring. It came to a gradual halt in the middle. It licked its lips as it listened to her soft whisperings.

Levy turned her attention to her audience of one.

"Hey," she called out with a smile. She patted the horse's neck and straightened out the mane to its natural hanging side.

"Hey." Gajeel returned it with one of his own. He pointed to the horse she was upon. "One of Dave's?"

"Yea."

"Do you show?" he asked.

"I used to." She nudged the grey forward with a tap of her heels. She met him at the fence and sidled up to the rail.

Gajeel eyed her. "You should. You look good up there."

His comment caused a blush to appear. She let out a huff. "Thank you. I'm somewhat rusty though."

"Tch. Didn't look like it to me. 'Course I don't know what to look for."

"Well," Levy began and hesitated. When she didn't continue, Gajeel glanced to her with a serious expression of interest.

"Well, what? What do I look for?"

"Do you really want to know?" She asked, her voice rising in question. No one had ever asked her that.

The eye contact he had formed with her never wavered.

She pointed to her legs and feet. "These should be in a line with your hips, with heels down and toes pointed up."

"Why down?"

"It anchors your weight. It keeps you in the saddle."

Gajeel indicated to her hands with a nod. "What about your hands? Why'd you hold them out like that?"

Levy rolled right into the response without thinking. She brought her hands to the same position she had had them earlier. "The reins are connected to the bit in the horse's mouth. You pull too hard and it could hurt him. You wanna ride with soft hands, not too active."

"But you steer with the reins. Right?"

"Um. Yes and no…" she said and lowered her hands to set them on either side of the horn. She could tell she might lose him. "You direct a horse with your seat and legs."

Blinking, Gajeel seemed genuinely confused. "You steer a horse with your ass?"

"Yea, I guess you do," she said with a laugh. She gazed down at him. "It's about shifting weight and balance. Your body is an extension of the horse."

He looked at her and let out a brief chuckle. "Man, I really don't know about horses."

"Maybe I can teach you one day."

The large, bright and warm smile she gave almost distracted him clean off the purpose for his visit. The intensity of their gaze heated between them. Clearing his throat, he broke it and glanced to the grey's head. "About that…" he started.

Levy's interested piqued.

He turned back to her. "I was actually hoping we could have that second date soon."

"Ok. When?"

"Tonight," he said, and scratched his head.

Levy's smile only grew. "Well I don't have to work the dinner shift at the diner," she replied with coy.

Her reaction helped Gajeel slide into his plan of action. He smiled. "Right. I was thinking something more private. If you want."


End file.
